New driving law from September 1 in England is 'so significant' for motorists
The Department for Transport announced that the price increases will affect all vehicle types using the vital Thames crossing.
A Dartford Crossing hike could cause thousands of motorists to face "financially challenging" driving conditions. The Department for Transport announced that the price increases will affect all vehicle types using the vital Thames crossing.
Drivers and motorists will see charges rise by up to £1 under the changes which kick in from September 1. The Department for Transport stated the new charges would be "significantly lower than if they had increased in line with inflation since the tariff was last fully revised in 2014".
But the Road Haulage Association has slammed the move. Commenting, Road Haulage Association (RHA) Policy Lead James Barwise said: "We recently welcomed the Lower Thames Crossing decision as an essential infrastructure project that we want delivered as soon as possible.
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"However, given project delays to date, Dartford remains the only practical Thames crossing for HGVs and coaches in the South-East.
"It's therefore regrettable that the charge increase has been so significant. This adds to running costs at an already financially challenging time for many businesses in our sector (HGVs, Coaches & Vans) and ultimately pushes up prices for consumers. "The RHA will continue to engage with decision-makers on this." The Department for Transport stated that current charging levels were "no longer sufficient to achieve their stated aim of managing demand."
While UK inflation has fallen sharply throughout the past couple of years, the costs of running a typical 44-tonne HGV (excluding fuel) has risen significantly above inflation.
The increase in charges for car drivers will be a maximum of £1, said the minister, with “significant discounts” for local residents and account holders.
“I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing,” Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said.
She added: “However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident discount scheme, and I have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area.”