Dartford Bridge to cut hauliers' costs
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/ The long-awaited Dartford Bridge, which opened this week, could save hauliers thousands of pounds a year by relieving traffic congestion.
The 3km-long toll bridge will relieve the Dartford Tunnel of more than 40,000 vehicles a day. It will take southbound traffic across the Thames from Thurrock in Essex to Dartford in Kent, leaving the two existing tunnels for northbound vehicles.
The Dartford River Crossing company, which operates the bridge and the tunnels, warns that part of one tunnel might have to close for six months for repairs in about 18 months time. If this happens one of the four lanes on the bridge will become a contrafiow heading north.
Swan's Transport of Saffron Walden, Essex will use the bridge, provided DRC keeps its promise of freezing tolls until next September. It estimates that its costs rise by £22 every time a truck is delayed more than 11 hours at Dartford.
Coalville-based Leicester Heavy Haulage says it loses about £4,000 a year based on the five truck journeys it makes each week through the Dartford Tunnel, Three times a month it will go the opposite way round the M25 to avoid more than two miles of delays.
CB Morgan Transport & Warehousing of Shaftesbury, Dorset often re-routes its trucks to avoid jams at the Dartford Tunnel which it says usually adds £20 to the trip's cost.
Most of the queues occur from 08:00 to 10:00hrs and at 16:00hrs.