In February 1999, the government announced the Dartford River Crossing would be free of toll charges by the end of 2003.

Motoring organisations welcomed the news. Since the bridge was opened by the Queen in 1991, the toll booths had collected more than enough to cover the outstanding construction costs and they firmly believed the government would keep its word.

That promise was due to begin 10 years ago but there has been no sign of a relaxation of toll charges. In fact, as many sceptical motorists predicted in 2003, the charges have risen steadily.

When the cable-stayed bridge was being constructed in the late 1980s it was immediately dubbed by many motorists as a “bridge too high”.

Nobody ever worried about the possibility of collapse. Bridges do not just collapse.

But some do. In 1971, 1,200 tonnes of concrete fell on 40 men as the new bridge over the M20 Ditton bypass collapsed.

Hundreds of tonnes of steel scaffolding then fell on top of them. The men, employed by Richard Costain Ltd, were building the bridge when an earth movement caused one of the pillars to slip and the 220-foot long structure capsized almost in slow motion. One man was killed, 15 were injured.

An inquiry was held and experts said it was unlikely to happen again. But it did.

In April 1985, motorists on the A2 at Cobham escaped serious injury when a section of a 200-tonne bridge fell on the road.

I do not want to be accused of scaremongering.

The bridge is among the safest and strongest in the world.

Regular tests are made to check its strength and durability. Even vertigo sufferers feel safe.

As a regular user I am just sad the government did not keep its original promise.

Tunnel vision

In 1938, Ministry of Transport officials descended 123 feet below the surface of the Thames to examine the new Dartford to Purfleet Tunnel, the biggest engineering project under the Thames since the opening of the Rotherhithe Tunnel in 1908.

The war delayed the project. It was many years before the first tunnel was completed.