Lancia Motor Club

General => General Chat => Topic started by: fay66 on 08 July, 2014, 11:35:44 AM



Title: Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. Changes
Post by: fay66 on 08 July, 2014, 11:35:44 AM
Not sure if anyone is aware, I certainly wasn't! but as of the 14th October 2014 you will be unable to pay at the barriers to cross, but must pay before you cross by one of the various methods they list, They are also altering the road layout as well, so if you haven't paid in advance you will not be able to cross and will be turned away.

Whatever happened to customer service >:(

Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. Changes
Post by: Thotos on 08 July, 2014, 12:40:27 PM
With my recent road tax renewal, there was a leaflet about the Dartford crossing charging changes and it claimed that you could pay for your crossing up to 10:00pm of the day after your crossing. The claim is that these changes, which will obviously use number plate recognition technology, will reduce congestion as cars will get through much faster. All well and good unless you are crossing on your way to a driving holiday in Europe and don't know about the need to pre-pay and are unable to pay while on holiday. I bet they'll have pay stations at the Eurotunnel terminal and  in Dover ports  ;D And of course the cost of crossing is going up to pay for all this technology and changes. I'm sure I read somewhere that the charges were only meant to be in place until the cost of the tunnels (and presumably the bridge) were paid for. But didn't the govenment sell off the Dartford crossing in a desparate attempt to get some money? It was certainly on the list of assets to be sold off a few years ago.


Title: Re: Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. Changes
Post by: the.cern on 08 July, 2014, 01:02:20 PM
Theo, I understand that payment methods will be similar to the London congestion charge, about which I know only enough to pay the fine that comes after not paying the charge!!!! However, I believe it is as you have described.

I believe the toll charges were introduced to pay for the bridge, not the tunnels as well. I think the latter were constructed with Central Government funds as just parts of the highway infrastructure. The bridge costs were paid off many years ago, significantly in advance of the projected timescale, because traffic volumes have been so much greater than expected. The government kept the charges in place out of simple expedience and greed to grab some more money from motorists. I am not certain about whether the Crossing has been sold, it was definitely under consideration. I hope that such an important link in the highway network has not been sold into private ownership, that could be the thin end of the wedge for all sorts of things!!!!

                                                     Andy

 


Title: Re: Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. Changes
Post by: lancialulu on 08 July, 2014, 01:49:26 PM
Do the tariffs change and more importantly is the free crossing/burrowing from 10pm to 6am still there?


Title: Re: Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. Changes
Post by: fay66 on 08 July, 2014, 10:15:44 PM
Sorry I gave out a bit of incorrect information, according to the website you will be able to cross if you haven't paid in advance, but you only have until midnight the same day to pay, so the onus is on the driver, I agree with Theo that if you've got someone trying to catch a ferry or something else on your mind there's a good chance you may forget, let alone anyone who is completely unaware of the situation.
Another thought is what about vehicles on foreign number plates, will they be chased for payment? or get away without payment much as happens currentlywith speeding offences.

Brian
8227 8)