On the day that the Prime Minister is likely to announce the sale of the Dartford Crossing as part of a £16bn Government fire sale a prospective Kent MP has branded the news with dismay
Speaking to Kentnews Gareth Johnson, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Dartford, said selling the crossing would make the hope of scrapping the tolls an “almost impossible dream”.
He added: “This Government has shown a complete disregard for residents when dealing with the Dartford crossing.
“Not only have they gone back on their promise of scrapping the tolls once the bridge has been paid for, they are now looking to sell the crossing to pay for some of its financial mismanagement.
“I shudder to think what this will do to the price of the tolls.”
Yourthurrock had already spoken to Stephen Metcalfe, Prospective Conservative Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock earlier this summer who stated that if Tories came to power they would seriously consider the scrappage of the tolls.
Perhaps they will scrap the toll if they came to power ,but they didn’t when they were last in office. In fact the only concession has been a substantial discount for Thurrock and Dartford residents after a long hard battle by Andrew Mackinlay MP.
Rumours have been rife in the last few weeks that the southband tolls were to be halted as part of a experiment.
The southbound toll is responsible for queues sometimes as back as far as junction 28 on a regular basis.
The tolls were supposed to have stopped after the cost of the bridge was paid for and a fund for future maintenance was established – this was about 2001 – Labour came to power in 1997 so it might have been a bit difficult for the tories to scrap the tolls with Mr Blair in charge!
After the 2001 General Election it was announced the tolls would continue as a ‘congestion charge’ to stop people using the Thurrock-Dartford crossing. The congestion has got worse despite a reduction in traffic and it doesnt take a rocket scientist to work out if you throw a row of tolls across one of the busiest roads in Britain you casue congestion and pollution with 45% of journeys delayed.
With the introduction of the residents discount the Government pulled £1 million per year funding from Thurrock Council Highways Department – so you never really get anything for free!
The crossing needs to be retained in public ownership and not flogged off. What next – sell off the A13 or A127?
maybe the locals should club together and purchase the crossing… keep the toll charges in place and collect it electronically, via a camera system, like the london congestion charge – those toll booths must go, they really do cause congestion and lots of it!