Then, before it's even built, a pressure group is demanding sky-high fees to use the new crossing: 
Cars pay £2.50 to travel via Dartford, but analysis from the campaign group Transport Action Network (TAN) suggests that tolls would need to be about £8.10, and £14 for a lorry, to cover financing and operating costs.
Because that’s a well researched estimate of costs, or because it suits their agenda to demand the price is raised?
National Highways, which is leading the work on the crossing, said the figures were untrue and that it expected the tolls to remain in line with present levels, adjusted for inflation.
Who to believe amongst two sets of known liars?
Natalie Chapman, the head of public affairs at Logistics UK, said the approval of the crossing was “excellent news” given the delays to traffic at Dartford. She added: “Industry recognises that road charges are necessary to fund new infrastructure, but tolls need to be reasonable, as industry pays disproportionately more towards construction costs than private road users.” Many vehicles have, however, been charged substantially more to cross the Thames since similar mirror tolls were enforced last month on the new Silvertown tunnel, a mile-long crossing in east London, and the nearby Blackwall tunnel, which was previously free to use. Transport for London said the tolls, of £4 for a car, were needed on both tunnels to deter traffic from taking an alternative cheaper route.
I feel you didn't need those last six words; they merely mask the true agenda.
1 comment:
I remember 25 years ago when I regularly used the Dartford Crossing at £1 a go, and it was heading towards the stated date that it would be finally paid off and then theoretically free to use. Everyone shrugged and said "believe it when we see it". I recently had to use it again after many years and of course it's far from free, it's actually 150 percent more expensive and you also need to use an app to pay for it.
Meanwhile back in my hometown, they finally built a new (and badly needed) bridge across the Mersey, complete with an app based payment system. But then they also made the original bridge a few miles downriver a toll bridge, it's the first time in British history that a previously free bridge now has to be paid for, and at the same £2 a crossing rate as it's new neighbour. The stated reason is to stop people (such as my 80 year old Mum) from taking the slower but cheaper option to get around, but we all know that it's to keep the revenue coming in for the investors.
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