Has anybody used the Dartford Crossing since the new payment scheme was introduced? I was doing it twice a week up until October and my heart would sink as I approached the tunnel or bridge as the queues appeared. Have the queues reduced? Is there a dedicated bike lane? If you're using the car have you had any issues with the payment system?
Thanx will need this for car, assume bikes still free, will have a look how that works later, maybe yer book but don't have to pay
Yeah bikes are still free, but tell me as a bike rider do we have to queue behind the cars or can we jump to the front??
I'd generally filter through the traffic until I was within about 50 yards of the barriers where I'd join the queue. As I said, I haven't used the crossing since the new system came into operation and I was told the queues would be eliminated and there would be a dedicated bike lane so I was trying to find out if anyone had used it recently.
Dedicated bike lane sounds good, as they appear to be removing the toll booths, like you be interested if anybody knows/used it yet?
My girls have used the crossing a couple of times and have no issues with the new payment scheme Not sure about a dedicated bike lane
I used it a week ago and there is no deicated bike lane but they are still working on it, we should not need one anyway as there was no Q when I used it going towards getwick but there is a 30 mph limit through the barrier, but it was slow coming back as there is still a guy in the booth lifting the bar for everyboby without taking any money, you have to pay in advance on the net or pay by phone within either 12 or 24hrs I can not remember or you get a £70 fine, in there blerb they say the will loose a lot of money from drivers abroad, why should that be I do not know, France do not have that trouble why should we, come to think about it when it first opened it was supposed to be free after a number of years that time has passed, but it seems they have changed there mind on that, making too much money I suppose. Keith
Thanks Keith. I think the barriers are supposed to all go in time. The reason we could lose money is that although they reckon they are going to set European debt collection agencies on foreign drivers who don't pay there's no guarantee they will cough up. I'm not sure there is any EU legislation to get the money back. The French don't lose money from foreign drivers because you have to pay as you go through the toll booths so there's no escape! My Dad lived in Essex and was around at the time it opened and he said it was only supposed to charge until the costs of building it had been covered. I think someone forgot all about it then built a bridge which had to be paid for...............
Yo peeps, update needed, heading sarf to Brighton this weekend. Do bikes have to book even tho no cost? Any special lane to look out for? Muchos grassyass
No, nothing special to look for (or at least when I used it a month ago there were no problems). No booking or anything. Just watch for drivers changing lanes!
Why is it the bridge guys can not get themselves in gear for the new system, I went through the other week in the car and git a penalty notice a week later that would be ok if I had not paid but I had payed two weeks before and I had to send all the receipts to Liverpool or somewhere up there to prove it, I eventually got a letter telling me no further action would be taken. Keith
