THE DARTFORD Crossing tolls should be suspended during the Olympic Games, says Thurrock Council Leader Cllr John Kent.
He has written to the government suggesting the move as a matter of national reputation as well as local concern.
In a letter to Mike Penning MP – Under Secretary of State for Transport and a former prospective Parliamentary candidate for Thurrock ― Cllr Kent said: “As you will know, here in Thurrock we suffer from major traffic congestion issues, especially when there are problems around the Dartford Crossing.
“We fear not only that this may happen and possibly worsen during the Olympic Games, but what affect this could have on our national reputation.”
Cllr Kent explained he had received letters from local business-people concerned “about the impact congestion will have on them and the Games”.
He said the council has consistently argued for changes to the tolls and Junction 30/31 because “the impact of congestion here has massive repercussions on local, national and international businesses”.
Cllr Kent wrote: “Although we all, of course, plan to celebrate this historic occasion, we all also have to prepare for potential problems – while this is the last thing we want
“Surely the Olympics is the perfect time to lift the tolls, giving us a congestion-free Games and a chance to analyse how the tolls impact on congestion.”
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Kent said: “While there are national and international implications both for business and the country’s reputation if there is an accident, a breakdown or just pressure of traffic on the crossing, the impact on local people is far more immediate.
“By leaving the tolls open with the barriers raised traffic will be able to flow freely in both directions. It would be well worth the government doing that for all the reasons I have mentions, but it could well be worth doing a study to see how much money the country saves with no tolls.
“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it actually proves more profitable for Great Britain plc without the tolls than with them.”
No chance of the government losing all of that extra revenue!
The tolls should be suspended full stop, both the Labour government and the Tory government have had ample opportunity to get these removed but both administrations have failed miserably.
Maybe we should take a leaf out of the French book and blockade the booths until the tolls are removed???