crossing commonly known major road crossing river_thames england connecting kent south essex north consists bored tunnels queen cable stayed bridge fixed road crossing thames east busiest crossing united_kingdom average daily use vehicles opened stages west tunnel east tunnel bridge crossing forms motorway route motorway restrictions described important road crossings britain suffers heavy traffic congestion crossing development started late 1930s interrupted second world war resumed 1950s original tunnel single lane traffic direction rising traffic levels required second tunnel built connected tunnels ends completed increased traffic pressure tunnels capacity private finance initiative scheme started build bridge combined crossing handles lanes traffic direction crossing april charge free electronic charging scheme began november result charge longer paid cash old toll removed residents scheme available offering people living near crossing location crossing spans river thames kent south essex north miles east centre london outside boundary tunnels metres long cable stayed bridge metres high main span metres high speed rail line high speed passes crossing approach roads north river near right angle design capacity vehicles day practice crossing carry described vital transport link national economies secretary crucial country strategic road network signed major destination london route crossing approach road purpose road allowing traffic prohibited use southbound traffic crosses lane bridge northbound traffic uses lane road tunnels bridge closed bad weather high winds maintenance occasions traffic uses tunnels directions alternative routes crossing easternmost road crossing river_thames east nearest vehicle crossings west ferry official diversion route london high vehicles bridge closed vehicles metres diverted opposite direction number new crossings proposed relief proposed thames gateway bridge west given planning permission december cancelled november mayor london johnson subsequently proposed reach ferry ferry crossing location alternative proposal alternative crossing likely tunnel east suggest crossing essential managing congestion july government announced develop plans alternative route option additional crossing current location option new crossing east charges free flow electronic charging system called came force november based automatic number plate recognition charge paid online text message phone advance midnight day crossing longer paid cash old toll removed charges indicated overhead signs schedule charge displayed location approaching roads reduced charges available users pre pay account holders device held vehicle detected payment booth automatically charge pre paid account charges crossing november follows charge payment directions travel located south crossing categories vehicles exempt charge including emergency services vehicles military vehicles exempt vehicle duty grounds disability charge generally suspended ease congestion continuous queue traffic travelling mph junction junction near charges vary according type vehicle free standard charges cars axle goods vehicles larger vehicles drivers fail pay charge issued penalty charge notice signs warning penalty charges local residents scheme gives free crossings car drivers resident council areas annual registration fee additional crossings march scheme extended include privately owned axle goods vehicles option introduced giving unlimited free crossings annually history tunnel idea tunnel crossing proposed initial reports start year suggested crossing replacing ferry service rejected july favour route upstream near total cost building tunnel estimated tunnel planned general route london known engineering work place compressed air driven pilot tunnel work tunnel delayed world war resumed similar work years earlier delay work war allowed tunnel design improved included better ventilation system negotiations kent essex county councils successfully levied toll tunnel opening lane bore tunnel opened traffic november costing initially served approximately vehicles day toll originally shillings equivalent post approximately equivalent purchasing power gave kent essex county councils authority change tolls december toll raised cars axle goods vehicles toll cars risen second tunnel tunnel expected carry million vehicles year carrying million year transport minister announced second tunnel built conjunction later construction approved april initial expected opening date work delayed lack funds resolved funding granted second tunnel opened allowing tunnel handle direction traffic time joint capacity tunnels increased vehicles day connection crossing completed northerly essex september junction southerly kent september following completion daily demand grown vehicles queen early 1980s anticipated traffic tunnel rise completion time expectation routes london improved instead traffic away tunnel transport minister announced number toll increased way concern grew tunnels able cope demands completed september december proposals improvements underwent changes consortium won bid build new bridge crossing valued time privately financed projects planned construction including establishment late 1980s private investment projects governed rules dictated privately financed solution shown cost effective publicly financed alternative privately financed expenditure industries additional public expenditure provision reduced private financed borrowed july private finance initiative concession enabled transferred control crossing kent essex county councils private company managed company bear debt bridge construction financed debt equity contribution private company risk costs ultimately scheme demonstrated rules longer barrier private financing public infrastructure projects concession scheduled years transfer date stipulation end debts paid agreed achieved march according chief financing project came year loan stock year loan stock million term loan banks construction bridge started immediately creation designed german engineer main supporting bridge piers constructed netherlands designed withstand bridge strike ship weighing tonnes travelling kilometres hour mph towers metres high took team assemble bridge structure construction approach road world war bomb found path required closure entire crossing bridge opened queen elizabeth_ii october total cost construction million million including approach roads proposed simply residents objected suggested bridge leading compromise time opening longest cable stayed span bridge europe bridge thames downstream opened tower bridge charging scheme european_union issued directive value added tax charged road tolls including government opposed directive said bear additional cost anticipated tolls removed april original scheme contract decided tolls charge charging scheme powers introduced transport act introduce charging schemes trunk road bridge tunnel metres length transport act charging scheme order allowed continuation crossing fee officially charge toll april management crossing contracted behalf september new contract connect plus limited maintaining crossing contract required company widen miles tunnel october government announced intention sell crossing public sector deficit reduction strategy announcement unpopular local residents encouraged drivers sound horns protest crossing change government following election new prime minister announced crossing sold despite local opposition particularly member parliament subsequently chancellor announced charges increased instead cover budget deficit introduced november charges discontinued standard daytime rates increased starting cars october charges increased cars axle goods vehicles multi axle goods vehicles local businesses complaining crossing charge local growth government announced new electronic charging system introduced drivers able pay phone text online shops charge proposed increase cars axle goods vehicles multi axle vehicles later report stated drivers charge fined preparation work free flow scheme started april concerns raised reliability highways agency report predicting lose unpaid charges year september announced new scheme start operate end november related works remove barriers continue april subsequently date removal confirmed november drivers official charge website pay credits use crossing traffic total vehicles crossing march highest recorded daily usage vehicles july traffic levels decreased april march vehicles crossing daily average vehicles total income financial year ended march corresponding figure following financial year permitted crossing carried crossing transport authority charge report crossing control offices free telephone service transfer takes minutes october ordered double buses based ford thames trader chassis special duties taking lower deck purpose built carrying upper deck seats access upper deck starting feet level road accessible special platforms built end tunnel ladder built access design criticised failing protect passenger falling vehicle running costs estimated month revenue service reduced bus april cancelled replaced current transfer service buses preserved transport hazardous goods crossing governed class transporting goods introduction scheme initially caused confusion short time transporting tunnel banned certain hazardous goods vehicles abnormal loads permitted require escorting highways agency traffic officers crossing authority hold exercises conjunction emergency services exercise held involving closure road tunnels hours tunnel patrolled highways agency traffic officers officers stop direct traffic crossing approach roads uniform exercise powers crossing subject mph speed limit vehicles enforced safety cameras october june drivers caught speeding travelling fast mph spokesman said cameras helping improve safety journeys reliable congestion crossing busiest united_kingdom design capacity exceeded crossing subject major traffic congestion disruption particularly parts closed accidents bad weather government adamant queen designed avoid closure high winds bridge close occasions february winter storms closed 12th owing mph winds evening 13th 14th busy times significant delay payment existed numerous junctions crossing motorway restrictions high proportion local traffic mixes long distance traffic example travelling onwards bbc survey reported crossing section crossing listed report fourth road britain highways england reported greatly improved journey times automatic charging introduced claims insisted improved signing better options reduce congestion
Dartford Crossing