Neve Gordon-Farleigh
BBC News
Henry Godfrey-Evans
BBC News, Essex
Simon Ashton/BBC
The charges first came into force to use the crossing, which connects Essex and Kent, in 2003
The standard charge for car drivers using the Dartford Crossing will rise from £2.50 to £3.50 in September.
The crossing links the M25 in Essex and Kent.
Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood, in a statement to Parliament, said the road was used by as many as 180,000 vehicles each day and the current charge was “no longer sufficient” to manage demand.
Jen Craft, the MP for nearby Thurrock, said she was “disappointed” and would write to her Labour colleague Greenwood to ask her to “reconsider”.
Conservative Richard Holden described the government announcement as “underhanded” and fellow Essex MP James McMurdock, of Reform UK, said it was typical of “rip-off Britain”.
PA Media
As of 1 September, cars will be required to pay £3.50 to use the crossing
Greenwood said there would be “significant” discounts for people living locally and that car drivers with pre-pay accounts would pay £2.80 for each crossing.
People driving buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with two axles would pay up to £4.20 under the changes.
Vehicles with more than two axles will be charged up to £8.40.
The fees were last increased in 2014.
Greenwood said t
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