Major toll route used by 150,000 drivers a day could TRIPLE in cost for motorists to help fund £9bn mega project

The Irish Sun

2 days ago

MOTORISTS who use the Dartford tunnel toll route could face triple the costs - if the upcoming Lower Thames Crossing mega project is built using private finance.
Transport analysts suggest that funding for the new crossing, a 14.3-mile route connecting Essex and Kent with an estimated price tag of £9.2 billion, could result in daily fees at the Dartford Crossing soaring to £8.10.
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The Dartford Crossing, connecting Essex and Kent, faces potential toll hikes to fund the £9.2bn Lower Thames Crossing project
Credit: Getty
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The Lower Thames Crossing (concept design pictured) is set to ease congestion but could see Dartford tolls rise to £8.10 for cars and £14 for lorries
Credit: National Highways
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National Highways assures tolls will align with inflation, dismissing claims of a trebling cost at the Dartford Crossing
Credit: Getty
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Originally designed for 135,000 vehicles a day, the Dartford Crossing now handles 150,000 on average
Credit: Getty
Currently, cars pay £2.50 to use the crossing, but the Transport Action Network (TAN) suggests fees could rise to £8.10 for cars and £14 for lorries to cover the Lower Thames Crossing's construction and financing costs.
However, National Highways has dismissed these claims as speculative - claiming that tolls would remain in line with current rates but adjusted for
inflation
.
Specifically, the huge, motorway-style tunnel would link the town of Tilbury in Essex to Medway in Kent, would also be connected to the A2 and M2 in Kent, as well as the A13 and M25 in Essex.
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It would also provide transport links between London and crossings to Dover - which, of course, account for half of the goods traded between Britain and mainland Europe.
While
business
groups like the Road Haulage Association and Logistics UK welcome the infrastructure as critical for reducing congestion and improving freight reliability - they stress the importance of keeping tolls reasonable.
Environmental campaigners have argued that the crossing could further add to pollution and congestion.
Despite the controversy, the Lower Thames Crossing is viewed as a critical addition to Britain's transport network, with some comparing its potential toll structure to that of the recently tolled Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels in east London.
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According to figures, the Dartford Crossing generated £221.5m in tolls and penalty charges in 2023 to 2024, with £134.9m in operating costs.
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'In addition to the construction chaos, the huge drain on the public finances, the cost of private finance is likely to be high.
'On even the cheapest PFI deal, the tolls at Dartford and on the new crossing will have to treble.
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'That's a huge hit for the travelling public. Most people will still have to use the Dartford Crossing yet will be paying three times what they are now, for very little noticeable benefit.'
In response, the National Highways said: 'These numbers are untrue.
'As the planning application for the project is made clear, charges will be applied at the same rate as the Dartford Crossing.'
The Dartford Crossing, one of the busiest bridges in Europe, links the counties of Essex and Kent via the cable-stayed Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which stands 137 metres high and carries southbound traffic and two 0.8-mile-long tunnels for northbound journeys.
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According to statistics, up to 180,000 vehicles use the bridge during its busiest times, although it was originally designed for 135,000 vehicles a day.
Its daily average works out at approximately 150,000 vehicles.
Almost 40% of those vehicles are HGVs carrying freight - a much higher proportion than on other major roads.