‘Significant’ new road fee from September 1 to ‘push up prices for drivers'

Motorists are set to be hit with “significant” new road charges in just a matter of months, with consumers set to feel the sting. It's been confirmed that the Dartford Crossing will increase its fees from September 1, with thousands of petrol, diesel and electric road users set to be slapped with higher bills.

Cars, motorhomes and small minibuses will see the £2.50 fee increased to £3.50 from the start of September. Meanwhile, buses, coaches and vans with two axles will pay £4.20 to use the route, up from £3. Vehicles with more than two axles will be the most affected, with prices up from £6 to £8.40 under the updates.

With the Dartford Crossing one of the most important routes in the South East, the increased fee could be considered an unavoidable road tax for many motorists.

Motorists who cross the bridge twice per day to get to and from work could therefore face a £10 per week rise.

Meanwhile, the most affected road users would pay £4.80 per day or £24 per week more under the changes,

James Barwise, Policy Lead at the Road Haulage Association (RHA) stressed the new fees come at a “challenging time” for many as they suggested they would fight back against the new costs.

He said: “We recently welcomed the Lower Thames Crossing decision as an essential infrastructure project that we want delivered as soon as possible.

“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.”

Around 150,000 vehicles use the Crossing every day with up to 180,000 passing through the route on its very busiest days.

However, the Government claims the latest increase will be "unwelcome news” for those using the road regularly.

They have pledged to back the local resident discount scheme meaning those living in Dartford or Thurrock could pay just £25 for unlimited trips.

Officials also warned the new fees would still be significantly lower than if bills had increased in line with inflation since 2014, the last time the fee was changed.

The Department for Transport's (DfT) Lillian Greenwood MP explained: “These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing’s design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities.”