M25 dartford (1 Viewer)

[Stacetop]

Hi Can anyone tell me what the M25 is like now the toll booths aren't being used?

What times are the busiest. I am wanting to book a tunnel crossing for August on a Friday but can't travel at our usual late night time so we will be hitting the M25 during the day. Its hard work trying to guess arrival times for this as we usually travel at off peak times.

Thanks

 

[GJH]

There's a useful recent thread Broken Link Removed. We found it OK last week (in the car) but glad I opened an account rather than messing about having to pay by phone.

 

[Stacetop]

Thanks Graham, I have had a read of that thread now! Ideally we would always travel down from the North East on an evening and by the time we reach the m25 have no problems really.

This time My husband is likely to be working till 8pm or 10pm so we won't get set off until late and I don't want to drive 5-6 hours at that time so will aim to do 3/4 hours stop for a good period of sleep and then set off again but this is likely to be rush hour on a friday morning? Arghh! I can't stay up too late, and our son will wake up earlyish which puts sleeping during the day of the equation! Oh well, will have to just take a gamble!!

I have opened an account at least!

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[chrisgreen]

went through it today,no problem ,no hold ups

 

[Lenny HB]

Obviously avoid rush hours apart from that it's pot luck, I've been stuck on there in the early ours of the morning they like doing the resurfacing then.

 

[mitzimad]

its great now heading south very little delay a bit slower on the northbound as they are still using the barriers but much better than it was when aproaching from the south stay on the outside lane ]the road splits for the two tunnels and outside is quicker

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[PJGWiltshire]

Use it nearly every weekday.
Going South over the bridge is normally very good what ever time of day.The old toll booth barriers have been completely removed going South and just a small bottle neck where the speed is reduced to 30mph from 50 mph(be careful speed cameras for the 30MPH) as you go around the North bound barriers(Which are the old South bound toll booths)
North bound is very hit and miss as this is where the main road changes are taking place at the moment. They still have the old toll booths operating the barriers just to slow the traffic down through the road works immediately after the booths and before the tunnels. This can tail back to the A2. Make sure you open an on line account. Motorhomes charged £1.67 each way on account

 

[EssexBoy]

Use it nearly every weekday.
Going South over the bridge is normally very good what ever time of day.The old toll booth barriers have been completely removed going South and just a small bottle neck where the speed is reduced to 30mph from 50 mph(be careful speed cameras for the 30MPH) as you go around the North bound barriers(Which are the old South bound toll booths)
North bound is very hit and miss as this is where the main road changes are taking place at the moment. They still have the old toll booths operating the barriers just to slow the traffic down through the road works immediately after the booths and before the tunnels. This can tail back to the A2. Make sure you open an on line account. Motorhomes charged £1.67 each way on account

+1. Spot on. I live about 5 miles or so from the crossing and have found exactly the same.

 

[Sandancers]

If your only going to use the Dartford crossing 3 times in a year is it worth opening an account ?

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[GJH]

If your only going to use the Dartford crossing 3 times in a year is it worth opening an account ?

I thought that until reading the earlier thread when I realised that we would be using the crossing both ways for our trip in the car last week. I had an idea that I'd read that accounts were closed (and balances lost) if not used for so long. However, I checked with Dart Charge and was assured that was not the case (details on the other thread). I don't know how soon we will use the crossing in the van but know that we can do so without having to be concerned about paying so worth it for me.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Used it going North on Monday 7pm in the MH, was dreading - a bit slow but OK and the M25 was clear!........no time lost at all

 

[wingman]

My 'neighbour' @PJGWiltshire has it spot on. As they have temporarily nicked some of the northbound area for southbound traffic, there is a bit of a chicane on the southern side of the QE Bridge and as PJG says, mind the 30mph speed cam's!

This road scheme seems to be one that actually works! It has seriously reduced congestion and when the booths are removed on the northbound side (you currently have to wait for the barrier to rise) that will be smoothe too. There's always the prospect of an accident making me eat my words of course, but it's generally fine.

Unfortunately, forecasting the 'Rush Hour' down here is an imprecise science. There ISN'T a rush HOUR any more. Traffic starts building at 5am and eases off at about 10am when mum's (or dads ) have dropped the kids and done a bit of shopping after the school run. Note I said 'eases'! On Fridays, folk seem to pack up work about two-ish and wend their way home. This dovetails into the pm school runs and elongates the afternoon/evening rush. The DRC is no different. You can sail through, or get delayed. However, it's rarely gridlocked as it was before the new system.

As far as an account goes, the pro's are that you get a much cheaper crossing (£1.67 as opposed to £2.50 for a single crossing) and you don't have the hassle of trying to pay later. The con's are that you have to have a balance of £10 on account.

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[GJH]

The con's are that you have to have a balance of £10 on account.

Not quite. You have to start off with a minimum £10 but you can go below that. Basically it's up to the account holder to maintain sufficient funds to pay for crossings taken. I started with £10 but after two crossings @ £1.67 each now have a balance of £6.66.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

If your only going to use the Dartford crossing 3 times in a year is it worth opening an account ?

Probably as there is no trouble in NOT paying as the account does it and you do not have the faff to get on to them or find a non existent retail outlet to pay. If you pay by phone then the call and the charge add up.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

If your only going to use the Dartford crossing 3 times in a year is it worth opening an account ?

You have to decide if you wish to help the government have a large cash balance on the books. To open an account for automatic collection you have to have £10 on account so you can use the system. Your £10.00 then sits there. You then use the crossing, thus £1.67 deducted from the £10.00. This is where the Government really earns out of it. As your account has dropped below £10.00, your bank is then deducted £10.00 to top up your account, so now you have £18.33 on account. If you do not use the crossing for another 6 months your account sits there with the credit but in reality the Government has all that money. Imagine how much they have on account. For somebody like myself who uses the crossing near daily it is handy. If you are happy to leave only £10.00 on the account. Once you have been forced to top up you can go into your account vis web and deduct the over balance back to your bank thus leaving £10.00 as required.

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[DJA]

Sorry cannot agree with you PJGWiltshire as it only presents half the story.

You said
"You have to decide if you wish to help the government have a large cash balance on the books. To open an account for automatic collection you have to have £10 on account so you can use the system. Your £10.00 then sits there. You then use the crossing, thus £1.67 deducted from the £10.00. This is where the Government really earns out of it. As your account has dropped below £10.00, your bank is then deducted £10.00 to top up your account, so now you have £18.33 on account. If you do not use the crossing for another 6 months your account sits there with the credit but in reality the Government has all that money. Imagine how much they have on account. For somebody like myself who uses the crossing near daily it is handy. If you are happy to leave only £10.00 on the account. Once you have been forced to top up you can go into your account vis web and deduct the over balance back to your bank thus leaving £10.00 as required."

I suggest this is only correct if you select the Automatic Topup option.

If you are going to only do the occasional crossing select the Manual Topup option as then you decide when to pay the next £10 or more. I hardly think the government are going to make a fortune with your £10 against the 25% reduction in your crossing cost. You just have to remember to check your balance from time to time.

 

[GJH]

I suggest this is only correct if you select the Automatic Topup option.

I agree. As I said last night, I started with £10 but after two crossings @ £1.67 each now have a balance of £6.66.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Point taken thanks, being a regular user just have it in my head that automatic top up is the norm, my error thanks for pointing out for everyone

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[Allanm]

We had a bit of a do here last weekend which meant a lot of family were travelling down to see us, many of them using he Dartford crossing. We paid for both my daughters to cross both ways as it was easier for us to do it.
One of them didn't use the crossing. Did we get the money back? You must be joking.
Not only do they charge you for crossing, they charge you if you don't!
My Brother in Law forgot to pay ( long story involving Mother in Law who thought she had put him on her account) and got a letter telling him he had to pay a fine.
Of course it was too difficult for them to see the logic of using the unused crossing fee......
Can't beleive the government have the cheek to keep putting up the charges after we were all told it would be free as soon as the bridge was paid for.
I think that now there are no toll booths, everyone should just refuse to pay for their crossings.
I'd like to see how they manage with sending out 140,000 fines a day!
Allan

 

[Rapido925M]

its great now heading south very little delay a bit slower on the northbound as they are still using the barriers but much better than it was when aproaching from the south stay on the outside lane ]the road splits for the two tunnels and outside is quicker

The outside tunnel is restricted to 3T (which I noted as I was passing the warning notice, focussing mainly on avoiding the surrounding vehicles). I don't know whether that is ulw or MAM but I pressed on, without any dire consequences so far.

My van is 3.5T MAM but it might cause problems for heavier travellers - Gordon

 

[GWAYGWAY]

The business plan agreed with the DoT and the French allows for thousands of fines per day to keep the revenue higher than just tolls.
They seem to be getting their way as the daily non compliance is WAY higher than allowed for, because the information is not obvious to the non local or those who have found out otherwise. I got an info slip with my road tax reminder but that is all I have seen otherwise.

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[ronidog1]

Help... I am making one journey north through the tunnel sometime in April. Can I buy an open ended ticket in advance from a local paypoint in Yorkshire?

Newbie to the south.... you can probably tell

 

[mitzimad]

think you can only do it on the day

 

[Techno]

Help... I am making one journey north through the tunnel sometime in April. Can I buy an open ended ticket in advance from a local paypoint in Yorkshire?

Newbie to the south.... you can probably tell

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-the-dartford-crossing-charge-dart-charge-by-post

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[ronidog1]

thanks that's what I needed to know.

 

[ramsthom]

You can prepay online for one crossing and can use it anytime within a year. I've prepaid for two crossings when we go to France in April.

 

[Techno]

Online within 24 hrs surely is easier?
https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/Home/Choose

EDIT yes I see as said above you can also prepay via this link

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[ronidog1]

great stuff thanks all