We just got back from a business trip which involved going via Gatwick, and hence going both ways through the Dartford Crossing. We had a 7 mile traffic jam going and a 4 mile jam coming back. There was no accident, that was all caused by the toll points. So, 11 miles of traffic jam to collect £6 from each car. On one hand, that's a lot of £3s so a large amount of cash. On the other hand, that £6 into one coffer caused two taxpayers to wait 45 minutes each, i.e. 90 taxpayer minutes. By any standards that is a low return, it is only about minimum wage. And yet the taxpayers in the cars mostly earn more than minimum wage (they drive cars). So on balance, the economy loses. As a nation, we would be considerably richer if we just abandoned the toll and let everyone use the crossing for free. We would spend less time in traffic jams, make less CO2 and less pollution, suffer much less stress and have a higher quality of life, and still be richer.
The Dartford toll makes no economic sense and should be stopped.
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