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DARTFORD TOLL PETITION HITS 5,000

A petition calling on the Prime Minister to abolish the Dartford Crossing Toll has attracted more than 5,000 signatures on the No.10 website. The petition is now in the top 20 of the 6,000 plus submissions on the site.

Author of the petition, Cllr Clarence Barrett (Cranham, RA), said: “The popularity of this petition is a reflection of how strongly people feel about this unfair toll. Not only are motorists being hit with sky high fuel costs and proposed increases on vehicle excise duty, but they are compelled to pay a toll which should no longer exist. To make matters worse, the Government propose to increase the standard fee from £1 to £1.50 later this year”.

“The charge was introduced in 1963 and was designed to pay for the construction costs of the tunnels and latterly the bridge. These costs were finally paid off in 2002 and the legal authority to charge a toll expired in April 2003. However, the Government decided to continue the toll under the guise of a congestion charge. This petition calls for the toll to be scrapped, as soon as is practicable, on the following grounds:

a)The congestion, which can stretch for many miles on either side of the crossing, is largely due to the effect of the tollbooths themselves

b)The exhaust fumes generated by thousands of cars waiting in line causes unnecessary environmental damage

c)The delays add unnecessary expense to business and transport costs”.

The petition, which has been live for just 7 weeks, is set to run until the end of the year.

To view and sign the petition please visit:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/dartxx/

28.5.08