400BHP Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Does anyone else thing this is a stitch up? have a look at their website Dartford Crossing (click traffic flow) and imagine how much money they have raked in, well over the cost of the construction and running of the thing. I think they should lower the charge, £1 doesn't sound like a lot but I cross the thing twice a day, every day, thats 40 quid a month if I don't use it at weekends, I have sent them an email hoping to get a reply. I think we should all send the same email and try and get an explanation, strenght in numbers and all that...! I was looking at your website, when I came across some facts and figures, if 836,761,316 vehicles have used the bridge and tunnels since 1963, I would assume you would have collected revenue somewhere in the region of at least 800 million pounds, why do you still charge motorists so heavily to use these crossings. If you have an average of 139,000 people crossing the tolls every day, the revenue you must be collecting is enormous, probably above £200,000, this seems a little unfair when the motorist is already burdened enough don’t you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Walker Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Chris, Its all about loans and stuff. A bit like our tyne tunnel - I think they've taken over £600m in tolls, they've still haven't paid the *interest* off on the loan yet alone the £80m it originally cost. Its been running 30 years. Gaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Dartford Tunnel was fully paid off in 2002 I think, but they decided to continue taking funds and use those for road improvements etc. So yes, its a rip off. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Need4Speed Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Branners has it in a nut-shell. The government went back on its promise to make it free when it had paid for itself. It would be a lot smoother running without all those toll-booths. I live in France where a lot of Autoroutes have tolls, but I don't mind because there's always an alternative route that's free. There's no viable alternative to the Dartford crossing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400BHP Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 Copy that quote above and email it to them, I have see if we get a reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martynb Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 I don't think the money is even ring-fenced for road improvements is it - just those greedy gits breaking pledges yet again and plunging their hands even deeper into our pockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Walker Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Originally posted by Branners Dartford Tunnel was fully paid off in 2002 I think, but they decided to continue taking funds and use those for road improvements etc. So yes, its a rip off. JB I see, and exactly how much has been spent on the improvements since... hmm lets guess Gaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Well they do keep widening the M25, especially round the bits that have variable speed limits and Gatsos installed, must get the extra cars through to hit their revenue targets on the cameras. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 There was nothing to stop you taking the risk and tending for the building contract. They took the risk, they invested the money, they get the reward. Is the DART card a 'bulk buy' saving or is it the same price but just easier to get through the tolls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400BHP Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 I have a Dart-Tag, it saves me 7 pence on each crossing, not much of an incentive. robbing bastards. Not much difference between le crossing and Dick Turpin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 hehe, now that would be cool - the people in the kiosks all wearing highwayman costumes and saying 'Halt thee, one gold piece to pass' They could even give you travelling tips like 'Don't venture into yonder Bluewater at night, for ye spirits will be after thee'. 'DART card? That be the devil's work' 'Tunnel? That be the entrance to the gates of hell, Sire'. omg, I've lost it big time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 I was gonna ask about the dart tag thingy. I have to use the crossing when I go to see my car and thats enough. I don't mind paying to LEAVE Essex but to get into it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attilauk Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 the problem with tunnels is keeping water out of them, it might have recovered the costs a while back but its gonna need re-lining in a couple of years time which costs a bastard fortune! although with the sheer volume of traffic using the tunnel and the money they seen to be making they are taking the piss a bit:( a quid is nothing really, to get over the severn bridge (either one:) ) it costs over a fiver:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martynb Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 But did anyone ever say the Severn Bridge would be free once it was paid for? There was a definite government commitment to this effect in respect of the Dartford Tunnel which von Blair and das Brown have cynically broken in the interests of fleecing us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attilauk Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Originally posted by martynb But did anyone ever say the Severn Bridge would be free once it was paid for? fair one m8, i didn't realise it was a government project. i assumed that the dartford tunnel was funded and run by a private company like most of the other major civil engineering projects in this country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martynb Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Ooops - you have made me do a quick bit of research and this link provides the detail. http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_about/documents/page/dft_about_503206-01.hcsp Apologies for my misleading post but the origianl intention was definitely that there would be no further collections once the crossing was paid for. My memory has obviously faded a bit since the project started but I deffo recall a row recently when the govt made an announcement that they would continue to charge beyond the period of the agreement. slinks away quietly..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attilauk Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 no you are right, that project summary definately states thatA Concession Agreement was awarded on the basis that the contract will terminate after 20years or upon the contractor covering its costs, whichever is first. Tolls will then be collected for a further year for the benefit of the Secretary of State for a maintenance fund. The Consortium's contract is currently forecast to end in 2003. The crossing will then fully revert to Government. now to me that looks like the tolls should be removed at some point this year. im afraid that wont happen, the costs for running highway structures that size are astronomical and i refuse to believe that the govenment will just soak them up in an already very tight highway maintainance budget:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400BHP Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 Well done MartynB, I have written an email to the Highways agency (Malcom Webbe) saying: Others should do same.... Having read the article on the dartford crossing and the highway robbery that is the tolls, I would be interested to know what the future holds for this pay-per-use cash cow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Did anyone hear about the scam the two guys who used to work the Dartford crossing where doing ? Apparantly every 3rd car they kept the quid and let the car through,they did this for about 10 years before they got caught - they had bagged a small fortune - may be just urban myth though but im pretty sure it was in the papers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 Don't forget the other fantastic reason for keeping the tolls at the Dartford Crossing, as published in the local papers. If they abolish the £1 toll, all the people who go through Blackwall and Rotherhithe will use the Dartford Crossing instead. Thats a cracker. :baa: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 I should also point out that the fact that the turnoff immediately following the tolls is the one you need for Bluewater means they also serve as an important navigation aid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.