00:00It's been two years since the controversial Eulers border expanded to all London boroughs,
00:05meaning anyone passing into the capital with a vehicle that doesn't meet emissions standards
00:09would have to pay a charge.
00:11And for motorists travelling between Kent and London, the Dartford crossing adds more
00:15costs, which this week is increased by £1 per trip.
00:20For people living here in Dartford, they might not necessarily be affected by the price change,
00:24and that's because they can apply for a local residence discount.
00:27But businesses can't apply for that discount zone for those trading in and around the town.
00:32They might struggle with the increase.
00:33We don't have our food delivered.
00:36We get someone to pick it up for us and them having to travel across to get our own supplies
00:43for the business really add up, especially with the increase overall on food as it is.
00:49The bills of crossing it on and off really add up and it affects also delivery drivers
00:55too that have to travel across and just everyday normal people.
00:59For a standard driver, the fee has gone from £2.50 to £3.50, while buses, coaches and
01:04vans with two axles changed from £3 to £4.20.
01:08And any with more than two axles, which were £6, are now costing £8.40 per trip.
01:14While those living in Dartford can use the residence scheme, some think the increase is unfair
01:18on commuters and businesses.
01:19Well, I don't think it's fair really for people who've got to go across there to work.
01:24You know, it's coming at their wages, isn't it?
01:26You know, I personally don't drive now, so I don't go over that way now.
01:31I used to, but I don't plan.
01:33Well, putting the price up, well, people are still going to use it.
01:38I mean, it's like when you've got a big car and they want to put the tax, people are still
01:44going to pay it.
01:45You know, that won't stop it.
01:47It makes me think a lot of what we're actually doing with our money in terms of paying taxes
01:51and stuff.
01:53Priorities, for example, do we actually have this as a priority?
01:58Is the Dartford Bridge being an expense priority?
02:03Yeah, that would be my thought really, making sure that we actually understand if it's a
02:09charge that we should be paying or not.
02:11The Department for Transport and MP Lillian Greenwood say they're aware that these necessary
02:16changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing.
02:20However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident discount
02:23scheme and I've been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low
02:28as possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area.
02:32Customers who live in Dartford or Thurrock and who have signed up to the scheme will
02:35pay £25 for their unlimited annual crossings from 1 September 2025, a small increase from
02:40the current annual fee.
02:43Many will hope that the charges increase might reduce congestion rather than impact local
02:47businesses in Kent that get their supplies from across the river.
02:51Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.
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