Commuters are making journey time savings of 90 minutes a week at the Dartford Crossing following introduction of the Dart Charge free flow tolling system, Highways England has claimed.

 

Figures released by the company this week show that journeys across the Thames at Dartford are now up to 56% faster than before the toll booths were removed. Drivers using the crossing at peak times are able to save up to 14 minutes on southbound journeys across the bridge, and seven minutes when travelling in the northbound tunnels.

 

Dart Charge project director Nigel Gray said: “Relieving congestion and speeding up journeys at the Dartford Crossing is what Dart Charge is all about. These really encouraging figures show what a difference Dart Charge is making for drivers.”

 

The Freight Transport Association’s head of road network management policy Malcolm Bingham said: “If an HGV uses the Dartford Crossing several times in a day that would mean a time saving, possibly enabling drivers to travel further before having to take a statutory rest break.

 

“However it is hard to see what is meaningfully gained by vehicles on cross-Channel journeys which are only likely to gain a few minutes for that journey on just one day.”

 

The association has urged Government to improve journey reliability across the strategic road network through further investment in Smart Motorways, which increase traffic flow reliability.

 

The group is also calling for an additional crossing of the Thames to be planned and built in order to cope with future demand, describing Dart Charge as “only a short term fix”.

 

(Photo: Highways England)