The Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, generally referred to as the Dartford crossing, is a fundamental gateway by which thousands of people per day cross into London, these commuters were required to pay a small toll charge in toll booths. Recently a new electronic charging scheme named Dart Charge has come into force. This forces people to pay the charge online, therefore the old toll booths have been removed.

This can be both a good thing and a bad thing, and many will agree with decision, but also some will disagree with this change. The main reason why this PSA is being released is because if you don’t pay the toll charge within the period (by midnight on the day after you have made your crossing,) you are faced with a very large penalty of £70 and it must be paid within 28 days. If you don’t pay within this time, it is increased to £105, but a sigh of relief is that it is reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days.

This is an obvious attempt to raise some money from people who either have no idea about the charge, or other people who forget to pay this toll charge. The high cost of the charge is outrageous, and may cause a lot of people unforeseen stress. In spite of this bad news, it is also a cost saving measure for locals, since there are discounts available for people living near the crossing. Finally, this change is a nice breath of fresh air, since this offers convenience for many, since the carrying of loose change is becoming less and less commonplace.

To pay the charge, visit: https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

Bakht Jalil, Gravesend Grammar School