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Is it my imagination or is the QE2 bridge queuing back to Jt 31/30 EVERY evening now irrespective of broken vehicles or shunts?
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That's what it's meant to do.
The tolls should have finished by now (the Crossing has been paid for) but they are being retained in order to cause congestion and discourage people from using the M25.
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Once the government find a way of taking money from you, they will NEVER give it up. The Dartford Toll was introduced as a temporary measure to pay for the construction of the crossing as Brian indicates, but like income tax which was also meant to be temporary it is here to stay. No matter how much money the government take in taxes they will never finish spending it, and they will always be looking for ways to take even more.
I suppose we can count ourselves lucky that they are sensible enough to spend it on worthwhile projects, such as the Dome....
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The primary reason given in the response to the (poorly publicised) consultation was that the Crossing could not cope with the extra volume of traffic expected to use the facility if tolls were discontinued. see extract below:
"The fact that previous administrations had promised that tolls would end when the Crossing had paid for itself was the largest source of complaint. It was mentioned by 60% of people who opposed the scheme. Some mentioned specifically that it contravened the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988.
Response: When the undertaking was made that tolls would cease, the huge growth of traffic that has taken place at the Crossing was not foreseen. To cease charging at the Crossing would lead to faster traffic growth, increasing the congestion problem at the Crossing. Therefore it would, at this time, be imprudent to remove charges. However, this situation will be reviewed once decisions arising from the M25 area multi-modal study (ORBIT), and those regarding future Thames Crossings, are implemented. Legally, the charging scheme will not contravene the 1988 Act since charges are being introduced under different legislation."
The whole thing is a stinking stitch-up. Basically the "different legislation" was introduced in 2000 to legalise the continuation, which would otherwise have been illegal.
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Is it any wonder the motorways are clogged up? If you look at a map of the UK WITHOUT any other roads except motorways, you can easily spot the reason.
The motorway network is too small. Stretching out northwards from London, you have virtually one motorway up to Coventry which then becomes one going up the west side of the country to Carlisle and beyond, while on the east side you have the M1 up to Leeds then bits of motorway up to Newcastle.
Any traffic that want to head north west or north east has one major road because the A roads are a complete joke.
Coming south is even worse where you have 3 lanes of M6 and 3 lanes of M1 joining but most of the way to London instead of being 6 lanes south ie 3 x 2, most is 3 and 4 lane motorway.
If you want to go west to east or vice versa, the M62 is the last 'decent' bit of tarmac (when its not a carpark) to use. The A66 and the A69 are total jokes and belong in a road system of 40 or 50 years ago.
Basically we need two motorways up the west side and two up the east side. Another west \ east link above Manchester (why DOES the M65 stop at Colne near Burnley instead of continuing over to Leeds?) and the A66 and A69 up grading to 3 lane motorways.
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IIRC one up the east side should have been the M11 going up through Lincolnshire to the Humber Bridge and beyond, but it finishes at Cambridge and the Humber Bridge lets Two Jags get out of his Hull constituency easily (although to be fair it was built whilst he was still on the Opposition benches).
Also have a look at the routes to the south west where the M3 goes onto a fairly decent A303 but that then peters out to one track each way until you get to Honiton. Filling in the missing link would do wonders at minimal cost.
Coming back from Devon in June the traffic going the other way was solid nose to tail stop/crawl on the A303 single carriageway bit and that tailed back onto the dual carriageway section for miles.
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By a bizarre coincidence the BBC News 24 mentioned last night that Hull is suffering in the current recession because it's road transport links are the worst for a city of it's size in the UK.
The Dartford Crossing is still **** too, and now £1.50 a throw each way.
Oddly, the government claim that the toll booths prevent congestion, rather like fags "prevent" lung disease I suppose?
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