Dartford Crossing

[Organiser]

Hi Martin,

My advise would be to avoid using the Dartford crossing altogether and go M25 past Heathrow and then use the M40 and M42 onto the M6. I never use the crossing unless it's 100% necessary and I used to go across to France twice a week at one time!

Tom.

[bl52krz]

If you come down the M6, and going to the south of that dump London, I go down the M42/40 quicker and cuts out the robber at Dartford.

[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by Time Searcher

We have lived in Central Portugal since mid-2009, usually flying back to the UK and hiring cars during our visits. But this year we are driving back in the ZT-T (which we took with us in our move!) for an extended trip and will be using the Shuttle, M20, M25, M1, M6 to go tour first stop in N.Wales. We intend going back to Pt. a month later...
It seems that the Dart Charge will apply as we will be going through during the day-time, I'm not over worried about the actual charge but the mechanics of paying for the 2 crossings...
I see that the pre-payment cost of £10 exists as against the £2:50 single crossing cost but what is the duration of validity of the pre-payment, I can't 'see' this on any of the official sites!
Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

I use the shuttle going from Birmingham. Coming up from shuttlei use M20/25/40/42/M6.what part of North Wales are you going to?

[vacuman]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

If you come down the M6, and going to the south of that dump London, I go down the M42/40 quicker and cuts out the robber at Dartford.

I object to your tone here sir. As a Cockney by birth I'm proud to be a Londoner.....just glad I don't live there now

[Time Searcher]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

I use the shuttle going from Birmingham. Coming up from shuttlei use M20/25/40/42/M6.what part of North Wales are you going to?

Thanks to you for this idea, --- we are going up to visit my son's family in Mold, Flintshire first and then over to Huddersfield to see the other son and family. Our plan was to stop at Dartford Campanile Hotel overnight and cross the river on the next day, returning via the same route, but I have looked at your suggestion of a more Westerly route and that is now what we will do.
When we moved here in 2009 we crossed via the bridge and tolls, some hold ups but at least we knew that we were across...

[grivas]

Originally Posted by Snetty

The Dartford crossing is now privately owned so will never be 'totally free' however during the night there is no charge.
As for the 'smart motorway' taking away the hard shoulder at busy times is an accident waiting to happen, the lanes seem to have become narrower too. The roads are overloaded.
As for the worst stretch of road I would say M6 between junction 4 to 19.

ALL motorways in Britain are hardly fit for purpose, designed and built in the sixties with little forward thinking, now trying to make improvements at huge costs with little effect, as for driving on stretches where the hard shoulder is turned into a traffic lane is nothing more than an accident/ catastrophy waiting to happen I agree. The answer is very simple and yet very painful, I would stop ALL articulated lorries using the motorways, I would make all motorways pay as you use, paid at the end of each journey for ALL users, overseas business users will also be charged heavily, I will introduce a driving test resit at age 75 for ALL drivers anyone failing will have to take a training course, and retest, failure to pass here will mean loss of license for 12 months. I would make full use of technology and so=called smart motorways to monitor driving styles and lane use, ensuring lane discipline, drivers staying in so called fast lane over a given time period, which will be variable to suit, will be fined, and get points on license, I will BAN use of mobile phones in cars, offenders will be fined heavily and required to retake test. These little things will make our motorways more usable. Then I will go to Japan and find out how to build railways fit for the 21 century, and will built a modern transport system so people don't have to use their cars for every trip they make, again our public transport is a joke, slow, slow, slow, expensive, dirty, and obsolete.

[wraymond]

No offence intended but I am just a bit relieved you now live on Mars.

[steve-45]

I noticed in one of the manifestos a proposal to make the Severn crossing free ..... why not the Dartford crossing too ????

[Gary C]

NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- dartford crossing !

Went over it last year for the first time since about 2004 and did t realise the toll booths had gone.

Chatting away, missed the signs and only realised I'd drive. Over without paying two days later in conversation with someone else.

Even though I was outside the time, I managed to pay and avoid the fine.

Won't do that again.


Lol, naugty word !

Bit sensitive, but OK won't do it again

[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by vacuman

I object to your tone here sir. As a Cockney by birth I'm proud to be a Londoner.....just glad I don't live there now

Hi Stan. Did not mean it as a slight on cockneys, just that I used to have to drive through London to get to Ford at Dagenham , and it used to be a dump on the way through. Birmingham used, and still is in places, a dump, so please don't take it personally. I don't believe in defending the indefensible.