when will qe2 bridge tolls stop?

Question

it should have paid for itself by now?

Answer 1

Apparently never due to "running costs" (ie painting/road repairs etc)

Answer 2

Qe2 Bridge Toll

Answer 3

The toll payable for using the bridge was supposed to end once the bridge had been paid for - which happened in 2003 - but the UK Government has chosen to continue the toll nonetheless - ostensibly on the grounds of safety (that removing the toll will increase traffic locally above the route's capacity).

When the tunnel was built in 1969, the tolls were supposed to be scrapped once enough cash had been taken to cover both the cost of construction and the on-going maintenance. This period was extended with the construction of a second tunnel in the late 1970's, and extended once again with the construction of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which was completed in 1991. The crossings were finally paid for, and enough money set aside for their maintenance, in 2003. The government, however, immediately moved to reverse the promise first made over 3 decades earlier, preferring instead to trouser the £65m + profit it generates each year. They did have a consultation process first, but, despite hundreds of responses opposed to the continuation of the tolls, the outcome was as could have been predicted without the pointless expense of pretending the consultation would change anything.

An Operator Speaks...by The Operator - written on 09.01.02

"To cut a long story short, the QE2 bridge was opened in October 1991 by HMQ. It was an immediate success.
Usage soared. There's an unwritten rule that traffic expands to fill the available amount of road for it and a busy morning at the crossing would seem to substantiate that. In fact usage has soared so much that traffic now averages around 140 000 vehicles a day, over ten times what was envisaged when it was first opened in 1963. The result of this is that the loans have been repaid early and the company, or concession holder - the correct term, has now moved into its final year of operation. A year of operation after repayment is allowed in order to build up a maintenance fund prior to the handing back of the facility to the government. This is about 7 years ahead of projection

What do I get for my pound then?
You get to drive on one the safest, most patrolled and monitored stretches of road in Europe. The concession area is about six miles in total and is covered by numerous cameras and safety features all controlled by highly trained staff in a state of the art control centre. The bridge is continuously monitored for windspeed and weather conditions are relayed directly to and from the London Weather Centre. Below the bridge, a safety boat patrols 24/7. Regular de-icing runs (at £10 000 a time) are performed during cold weather. A fleet of Landrover patrol vehicles which average upwards of 40 000 miles a year are maintained and of course, your tolls are collected in a friendly, speedy and efficient manner (if you're lucky enough to get me, that is) If you're scared of heights or are claustrophobic, we'll even drive you across. If you breakdown, we'll get you to place of safety. There is also, so I've been told, a continuous programme of investment in new technology. For some years an automated toll collection system based on transponders in the vehicle and readers on the toll plazas has been in operation and this is currently being updated.
Current intelligence is that the tolls will be maintained in order to improve the local infrastructure but there may be slight changes. It is cheap, £1 per car up to a maximum of £5.80 for HGV and trailer, even less if you prepay and paying this is usually cheaper than taking an alternative route. It's also the busiest toll plaza in Europe, maybe the world but traffic appears to have reached a point where it's now levelled out - figures for the last couple of years have been roughly equal although last year's figures may prove interesting due to the influence of foot and mouth and the effect of the railway problems on road use.
The government would be fool to pass up around £80 million a year but the public is understandably confused. The media has dug up old quotes from nearly 40 years ago saying that it would be free when all is repaid. Well, times change and there are different pressures now. Until such time as public transport is efficiently managed and freight moves back to the railways where it really belongs, then you can't blame the incumbent government for wanting to exploit a milch-cow."

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

Last thing I read about the Dartford Crossing was that they were thinking of putting the toll up to £1.50 !!!

Answer 6

never my friend its now owned by the french

Answer 7

When YOU stop paying. Go another way... While you keep on paying they will keep on charging............simple.