Dartford Crossing tolls will rise as government says current charges are ‘unsustainable’

Drivers using the Dartford Crossing will see toll charges rise on 1 September, as the Government says the current Dart Charge price levels are no longer fit for purpose.

Transport minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed the increase in a written statement to Parliament today (Tuesday 17 June), saying: “Current charging levels are no longer sufficient to achieve their stated aim of managing demand so that the crossing works well for users and local people.”

The Dartford Crossing is the only fixed road crossing of the River Thames east of London and plays a critical role in the national road network. It connects the counties of Kent and Essex via the A282 and forms a key part of the M25 orbital route.

More than 150,000 vehicles use the crossing every day on average – with traffic hitting 180,000 vehicles on the busiest days. In 2024, the total number of vehicle crossings topped 55 million.

Motorists were first charged to use the bridge and tunnel in 2003 and the charge was last increased in 2014. The Dart Charge scheme now generates over £200 million a year in revenue.

Since the removal of toll booths in 2014, demand has grown by 7.5%, far outpacing the design capacity of the crossing. Greenwood said: “These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing’s design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities.”

From September, car drivers will see the toll rise by up to £1, though discounts will remain for local residents and Dart Charge account holders. Greenwood stated that the new charges would still be “significantly lower” than if they had tracked inflation over the past decade.

“I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing,” she said. “However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident discount scheme, and I have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area.”

New Dart Charge Crossing rates from 1 September (Bridge & Tunnel):

Local residents in Dartford or Thurrock currently pay a reduced rate of £20 per year for unlimited use. This will also increase to £25 from 1 September.

All other aspects of the Dart Charge scheme remain unchanged, including free overnight crossings (10pm to 6am) and continued exemption for motorcycles and the bicycle pick-up service.

The toll hike comes just a day after the Government announced a £590 million funding package to support construction of the long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) – a new road link that would provide additional capacity east of the current crossing.

Greenwood added: “The need to increase the charges to manage traffic highlights the need for the additional capacity that LTC, for which the Government confirmed new funding yesterday (Monday, 16 June), will provide.”