FTA frustration as McLoughlin kicks Dartford Crossing decision into the long grass

FTA added that the DfT is still not providing a definitive answer to the much needed crossing with today’s decision still not providing the answer as to which of the two possible locations it is to be built at.

The Association has also repeated its message that "congestion needs tackling now,” stating that the cost of queuing should be taken into account, which for a 44 tonne truck averages £1 per minute, outweighing the cost of the toll and ultimately the price of constructing the right crossing to relieve what are now real pinch-points at Dartford and the Blackwall Tunnel.

In December the government announced that it would discard 1 of 3 locations in the consultation and work on the remaining alternatives; ‘option A’, close to the existing crossing, and ‘option C’, connecting the A2 and M2 to the M25 via the A13.

The decision has now been taken to develop and appraise route options in detail at each location before choosing the site of the new crossing. This will not delay the delivery of a future scheme, says the Government, but will allow the Highways Agency to assess the effect of the new remote payment system, called ‘Dart Charge’, which will improve driving conditions at the existing Dartford-Thurrock crossing after it is introduced from October.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "We are committed to a new Lower Thames Crossing, but whichever location is chosen, it will have a big impact on people in the area and we must make the right decision.

This work will not delay the delivery of the crossing but allows us to choose the best option.”

Malcolm Bingham, FTA’s Head of Road Network Management Policy said: "Once again the DfT’s announcement today brings us no closer to building the much needed new Lower Thames Crossing. Congestion needs tackling now, and this appraisal appears to add further delay to the process building of the crossing. There is absolutely no doubt that improving capacity and easing congestion at Dartford is essential in the longer term and while the introduction of free flow tolling in October will bring FTA members recognise the need for a longer term solution.  

"FTA has consulted with our members at length on the issue of what the best crossing would be.  As a result it was widely considered that Option C would bring the most benefits to the freight industry, and would help tackle congestion at Dartford.”

FTA pointed out that the introduction of free-flow tolling in 2014 will go some way to relieving the queues at the tunnels, but added that even with that, there would still be the requirement for new capacity and there was a definite need to plan more efficiently for the future in order to cope with traffic on these essential routes.