ALMOST 3,000 people have said no to plans to push up the Dartford Crossing tolls in the Kent Messenger Group's online petition.

The total of 2,816 names were formally handed over to Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman at the House of Commons on Thursday by senior editor Sandra Hembery.

Dr Ladyman said: "This is certainly one of the biggest responses I have seen to a local transport issue."

The names were raised through the Kent Messenger Group's Axe The Tax campaign, launched in the autumn to protest against Government plans to push up toll costs at the crossing by up to 50 per cent.

The names formed part of a larger package presented to the Minister, including the newspaper coverage of the issue since the proposals were announced last October, and 573 protest forms sent in to Kent Messenger newspapers.

The handover took place one day before the end of the three-month public consultation.