Cash-strapped motorists will soon have to pay more to use the Dartford crossing.

The government had postponed plans to increase toll charges after hundreds of people responded to a public consultation.

The Department for Transport has now decided to go ahead with the increases, with charges rising from £1.50 to £2.00 in October this year and then by a further 50p to £2.50 in October 2014.

Dart-tag users and local residents will still receive discounted prices.
The hikes had originally been planned for November last year and April this year.

Fiona Wilson, strategic roads divisional manager for the Department for Transport, said in a letter responding to the consultation, which ended on September 23 last year: “The Department received around 1,300 responses and has carefully considered all of the representations that have been made.

"We have concluded that the most appropriate way of balancing the need to manage demand at the Crossing and maintain the prioritisation of future improvements at the Crossing, is to retain the road user charge.

She added that the hike will pay for free flow charging technology at the crossing and to develop proposals for a new crossing in the lower Thames area.

The Messenger submitted a 2,000 strong petition to the government against the planned hikes as part of its Fight the Hike campaign.