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Dartford Crossing Tolls going up by 67%!

2

Comments

  • wickford
    wickford Posts: 863
    I thought the toll was originally put in place to pay for the cost of building the bridge and once that was paid for it would be scrapped.

    I would be very fed up indeed if i was driving daily across.
    The toll started when the original, single, tunnel was built to pay the construction costs. Then they kept it to build the second bore, then they kept it to build the bridge – now they're just bl**dy keeping it and ripping the arse out of it!
  • Strasburger
    Strasburger Posts: 957
    edited July 2011
    Do a Greece and refuse to pay at the toll.  The barriers can be pushed forward by hand.  So pull up tell the person in the booth to take down your number plate.  Get out push the barrier out of the way and carry on.  They will have to take your number down and take you to court (if they can be bothered), there you can make the case that the Government promised to do away with the toll when the bridge was paid for.  As that is now the case the toll is just a cash cow, and given the current situation, they should keep the promise. 

    Or. If they do take you to court and you don't want to go. Have a look at the Bexley cyclist discussion and use the same excuse as the owner of that car.   
  • adamtheaddick
    adamtheaddick Posts: 8,664
    145000 vehicals pass through the tolls everyday according to offical website, lets say £2.00 per vehical not including lorries and dart tag etc thats £290000 a day £2030000 a week!!!!! the charges will never be scrapped just would be nice to know where this money goes.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,406
    145000 vehicals pass through the tolls everyday according to offical website, lets say £2.00 per vehical not including lorries and dart tag etc thats £290000 a day £2030000 a week!!!!! the charges will never be scrapped just would be nice to know where this money goes.
    How long ago was the O F A H clip? .. if only the toll was £1 today

    The fee to cross the Humber Bridge has been increased to £3. So a trip from Grimsby to Hull costs £6 in fees.

    People pay to go to Hull? I can understand charging to get out...
    hahaha, Hull's reputation is deliberately misleading, it keeps a lot of undesireables outta town.  On a serious note, a lot of people living in Lincs depend on the bridge to get to and from work in East Riding. So that's a nice little £30 a week after tax just to get across the water, a big chunk out of any wage packet.  The discount is about 5% for buying bulk tickets. Dont spend the saving all at once !!
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.

    What's the problem?
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,406
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.



    What's the problem?
    In the Humber case, the alternative is driving 30 miles to the nearest alternative crossing at Goole and 30 miles back. The 'alternative' to the bridge was a ferry across from Barton in Lincolnshire to East Hull. That ferry service  was discontinued when the bridge opened. THAT is the problem you little smuggie you.
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.



    What's the problem?
    In the Humber case, the alternative is driving 30 miles to the nearest alternative crossing at Goole and 30 miles back. The 'alternative' to the bridge was a ferry across from Barton in Lincolnshire to East Hull. That ferry service  was discontinued when the bridge opened. THAT is the problem you little smuggie you.
    Who's talking about the bloody Humber? Only you it would seem. I'm talking about Dartford, hence me posting on the Dartford crossing thread.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,406
    right oh !!!
  • adamtheaddick
    adamtheaddick Posts: 8,664
    as i said earlier, come next year its going to be mental, the blackwall is going to be virtually a no go area due to the olympics thus incresing volume through rotherhythe and dartford, to increase the cost of using dartford when they know dam well how much increased traffic they will be getting is bordering on scandelous.
  • Curb_It
    Curb_It Posts: 21,241
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.

    What's the problem?
    I cant work out if this is a wind up or not. if serious then its a shit attitude to have ... let the meek follow blindly.

    say if the trains went up 200% next year and your salary couldnt cover that and you had to get 3 buses which then cuts into your drinking time in the pub whats the problem there?  im sure being you,you wouldnt have a problem.

    selfish.

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  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,797
    They should make the crossing free for the duration of the Olympics at least to help traffic flow.
  • LenGlover
    LenGlover Posts: 31,686
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.



    What's the problem?
    I cant work out if this is a wind up or not. if serious then its a shit attitude to have ... let the meek follow blindly.

    say if the trains went up 200% next year and your salary couldnt cover that and you had to get 3 buses which then cuts into your drinking time in the pub whats the problem there?  im sure being you,you wouldnt have a problem.

    selfish.


    Off_it wants a chomp I reckon so I'll play for a bit.

    The point, in my view, is that motorists already pay road fund licence and have already paid the construction costs of the tunnel. They are therefore being charged twice effectively.

    It is akin to you going in the boozer and buying a pint and then being charged again for the same pint when you are considerate enough to take your empty glass back.

    Scandalous and morally wrong as it exploits a captive audience just like Connex, South Eastern or what ever the SE bit of British rail is called these days.

     

  • ken from bexley
    ken from bexley Posts: 5,095
    They should make the crossing free for the duration of the Olympics at least to help traffic flow.
    It's reasonable, and logical answers like that that  have not a hope in hell of being adopted...... as it might solve the problem, and stop the  cash cow being 'milked' 
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    If you want to use the crossing you have to pay.
    If you don't want to pay there are other alternatives.

    What's the problem?
    I cant work out if this is a wind up or not. if serious then its a shit attitude to have ... let the meek follow blindly.

    say if the trains went up 200% next year and your salary couldnt cover that and you had to get 3 buses which then cuts into your drinking time in the pub whats the problem there?  im sure being you,you wouldnt have a problem.

    selfish.
    "Selfish"? Why, because I'm not getting wound up on a football message board about the Dartford crossing?

    Strange comment.
  • Macronate
    Macronate Posts: 12,917

    That is a good idea Mutts.

    The Essex stretch beyong the tunnel is being widened at the moment, due to finish summer, next year.

    When finished, why not raise the barriers for a 2 week period and see how the traffic flows either way. Bet they'd be very little congestion, if any.

    The thieving ba*****s.

  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,210
    Off_it - perhaps you should get wound up about it?
    Look at the bigger picture.  Say you support Colchester, do you spend a fortune buying tickets for a match at CAFC;  another £30 on petrol; and £5.00 for crossing the Thames twice having queued for ages for the pleasure of getting to the toll booths or do you say sod it, I'm staying at home?  If so, Charlton lose the income.
    If I decide the the toll increases are the final straw and I say sod it,  CAFC loses £750 for 2 season tickets plus another £720 for a West Stand car park slot plus another £70 for a season's programmes.
    Do you think that the prospect of your club losing revenue is not worthy of discussion then?
    The bizarre thing, of course, is the chances are that all the VAT the Govt. is going to lose will amount to far more than the extra they get from the toll increases anyway!
  • Jayajosh
    Jayajosh Posts: 2,881
    What's everyone moaning about, salaries are going up 67% over the next couple of years ;-)
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    cafcfan, I understand what you're saying and sympathise with your own situation. But isn't the simple answer in the example you give to use the Blackwall Tunnel - or even the Woolwich Ferry - to get to Charlton?

    Anyway, my understanding is that the Dartford Crossing tolls fall under the 2000 Transport Act and the Highways Agency therefore has statutory authority to levy tolls directly in relation to congestion issues. If that's the case, and no doubt someone will correct me if it's not, then the tolls aren't subject to VAT. And that's a FACT!
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    Also, it's a consultation document at this stage, so if you (and Curb_it) feel so strongly about it then I would encourage you to respond with your views as they ask. You never know. If enough people did that then it could influence matters. Good luck.
  • What's everyone moaning about, salaries are going up 67% over the next couple of years ;-)
    Nah...that the price of gas you're thinking of. Talking of thieving b'stards.

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  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    Now I think we can all agree on that one Bournemouth. Unbelievable how when the price goes up they seek to justify it by pointing to the wholesale rates, but when those rates come down the price stays the bloody same!
  • I read somewhere recently that the wholesale price was 44% down on it's 2008 peak but that we are now paying 30% more than we were doing at that time. How can that be right?

    What the regulators are doing about this is anyone guess and the governments current proposal......introduce more companies to the market to encourage competition. Whey hey! Yet another bunch to stick their nose in the trough and abuse the situation to their own benefit.

     

  • Curb_It
    Curb_It Posts: 21,241
    Its selfish because it's an attitude that it doesn't affect me so not sure what the big deal is, yes you go another way, spend more time in your car that'll be fun. that'll add to your quality of life, just to make ends meet.

    Are we not allowed to get wound up about other topics on a football board?  looking at all the other topics on here that is a strange comment.

    Anyway It doesnt affect me either so i dont know what im moaning about but cant help that get annoyed that we live in one of the most expensive cities in the world and we just keep on getting ripped off as prices go up and up.


  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    Don't moan at me, I'm not putting the tolls up.

    Here's the address for your response to the consultation document.


    Department for Transport

    Claudette Bagalo
    Dartford Crossing Charges Consultation

    Great Minster House, 76 Marsham St,
    London
    SW1P 4DR
  • LenGlover
    LenGlover Posts: 31,686

    I read somewhere recently that the wholesale price was 44% down on it's 2008 peak but that we are now paying 30% more than we were doing at that time. How can that be right?

    What the regulators are doing about this is anyone guess and the governments current proposal......introduce more companies to the market to encourage competition. Whey hey! Yet another bunch to stick their nose in the trough and abuse the situation to their own benefit.

     


  • Curb_It
    Curb_It Posts: 21,241
    so we arent also allowed to moan on here?

    Ok.  Just so im clear on protocol.

  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 28,946
    You can moan as much as you want. Just don't moan at me when I can't do anything about it.

    Good luck with your submission.
  • LenGlover
    LenGlover Posts: 31,686

    I read somewhere recently that the wholesale price was 44% down on it's 2008 peak but that we are now paying 30% more than we were doing at that time. How can that be right?

    What the regulators are doing about this is anyone guess and the governments current proposal......introduce more companies to the market to encourage competition. Whey hey! Yet another bunch to stick their nose in the trough and abuse the situation to their own benefit.

     


    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/13/future-energy-bills-government

     

    In short we are paying more because our Masters in the EU are demanding investment in renewable energy.

    As "good Europeans" Cameron, Brown, Clegg, Blair etc would never consider a) whether the whole man-made climate change thing is a lucrative scam or b) the interests of the BRITISH people they were elected to represent.

     

     

  • Saga Lout
    Saga Lout Posts: 6,845
    Fact is, Len, whether or not climate change is a scam, the fossil fuels are running out and as they get more scarce they're going to get more expensive so renewable energy is the way to go.
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,797
    The energy companies seem to post record profits year in year out - surely, irrespective of the wholesale price they should suffer a bit, not do better in difficult times. The whole market system is corrupt and biased against everyday folk trying to earn an honest crust and do their best. The sooner these honest people stand up against these abuses the better. We have no option but to use these 'services' so need protection from people who exploit this fact.