https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dart-charge-dartford-crossing-remote-payment Old news, but thought it may be of interest to those who have not heard about it.
Here we go Kentblade rant. This is all boll*x of the highest order. The deal was that once the bridge was paid for, tolls would continue for a number of years to cover the ongoing maintenance of tunnel and bridge. Once the predetermined funds were banked, the tolls would disappear and the crossing would be free. The fecking government had to change a act of Parliament to reverse that decision and then gave away the control of the crossing to a private contractor...namely a French private company. Since then our local MP was elected and made a stand to remove the toll...what a c*ck he has turned out to be, yet another 2 faced politician that says one thing and does another. and he lives in the next road to me, not that where he lives really has any impact on this subject other than he pis*es me off no end, 2 faced little tw*t. Anyway back on story, so now we are faced with a toll suddenly being renamed a congestion charge....well the only reason there is congestion is because on the busiest motorway in Europe, half way round every fecker is forced to stop and pay a fine, so chicken and egg syndrome. Moving on, they have decided after countless multi million pound studies, that the best way to solve the congestion is to remove the toll booths and replace it with ANPR charging, and to facilitate that change, they need to put the charge up by 25%. Now, because all and sundry will no longer stop to pay, we will have a level of evasion, so like the C charge in London, it will be a civil offence and if you do not pay they will place it in the hands of debt collectors..............oh its also used by thousands of foreign reg vehicles...no problemo...they have decided that non paying Johnny Foreigners will be hounded down by a European debt collection agency. Two issues here... Herr Schultz and his family in their Mercedes are touring England on holiday and as part of his trip he crosses the Thames at Dartford, and forgets to pay, even if at 70mph his English is good enough to read the signs and small print, so the European debt collection agency unleashes its full might on Herr Schultz to recover the almighty sum of £2.50.......your having a fecking larf at this point. Part 2 of the above.....we have been fed shite for a number of years now that our number plates must be a set size and font otherwise the ANPR cameras cannot read the plate....and God forbid a terrorist or like may slip through the net......well at this point my brow furrows a little deeper, Johnny Foreigners numbers plates are totally different from UK plates, so surely by default the ANPR at the Dartford Crossing cannot read them, and if they can't read them they can't chase them for payment. Ahhhh so that's the game, we have a predetermined level of evasion that we know will happen, so to cover the loss we will increase the charge by 25%, and there my fellow bikers is the pi*stake, we will be subsidising Johnny Foreigners free trip across the Thames. The final part of my rant goes like this, my local MP is now stating we have a great deal to ease congestion...so thats what he really meant by removing the toll...he just forgot to add the word booth after the word toll and all along never meant it was going to be free. Secondly why should I give a f*ck as motorcycles will still be free?
Did labour sell that ? My cars front number plate is tiny , like motorbike size will I get away with it It will prob make congestion further down the road instead
Bet it's some supped up jap drifter in lime green with a black bonnet with the carbon wrap peeling off lol
yea I'm a bazzed up m3 , slammed on 18s with 8 piston calipers , and my hat on backwards with a nickelson polo shirt on collar up styleee
Dats my boy, on auto pilot to the local Tescos meet, a little bit of fluorescent light under the rear and puddle lights to make sure shes dropped her knickers before she gets in Kent and Essex, 2 worlds separated by a congestion charge
Chatham is consolidated to one high street though my good man, Essex is an entire county!! personally I think we are now doomed in kent... the 'border control' tolls was the only thing that kept the northerners at bay.... now they can pass freely erm, for free, we will be over run. best I blow up the medway and Rochester bridge now - sorry KB, your on your own in no mans land....
Just goes to show you cannot rely on a Man of Kent when you are facing your darkest moments........no need to worry JV most of the Essexshire mob don't go any further than Asdas car park meet in Greenhithe or Air & Breath in Dartford, you'll be safe in the fortified East of the county.
History suggests you Kentish Men roll over like grass on a breezy day so i'm just looking after my own. Sorry dude....
lol, some funny reading. Myself am from Essex and travel to Kent every day. I cant wait for this to come into effect so there is no/less traffic as its a royal PITA. Regarding the ownership, isn't it now by 4 companies and the monies is used to do all the ongoing maintenance/improvments on the M25? But then I get it cheap as Im classed as a local resident so cant complain too much
