Your stories: Why people need a new crossing

Hear stories from the local community on how much of a problem Dartford is for them, and how much they need the Lower Thames Crossing

Published

24 May 2023

The Dartford Crossing has one of the largest specialist traffic management teams of its kind dedicated to keeping it moving 24/7, but due to the huge volume of traffic it is one of the most unreliable roads in the UK and the congestion from it has a huge impact on people, not just those using it every day but also the neighbouring communities surrounding it.

When it goes wrong people are late for work and children late for school, plans are cancelled, appointments missed, and deliveries delayed – the effects are far reaching, and despite having one of the largest specialist traffic management teams in the country dedicated to keeping it moving 24/7, it happens almost every day.

Watch our videos - local people and motorists have been sharing their stories and telling us why they need a new, reliable crossing.

"The cohort of students we’ve got in now they’ve had quite a disrupted time… Any missed opportunity for learning is a further hinderance for those kids"

Alex: talks about the impacts traffic can have on his students, as well an emergency item he keeps in his car for those dreaded moments he’s delayed

As the only river crossing east of London, the Dartford Crossing is relied upon by 50 million users every year, connecting families and friends, and helping people get to work and businesses to reach customers.

The huge volume of traffic on the crossing makes it one of the most unreliable roads in the UK with 3,000 incidents per year causing huge tailbacks and gridlock across the region - 95% of journeys on the northbound during evening peak are delayed and 3 times a month a journey will take 5 times longer.

The congestion causes misery and people are desperate for an alternative – 80% of the people we asked support the need for a new crossing.

We’re committed to providing a solution - the Lower Thames Crossing will tackle congestion at Dartford and on nearby roads such as busy sections of the A2, M2 and A13 and create a new more reliable route for people crossing the river and relieve the problems caused on the local area.

Interested in how we will make the Lower Thames Crossing the greenest road ever built in the UK? Find out more.

"Nobody wants to leave their child in nursery until 7 o’clock and that is not something I ever wanted to"

Michelle: Uses the Dartford Crossing every day for work

For further information contact us at info@lowerthamescrossing.co.uk or by calling 0300 123 5000. You can also get the latest updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and our YouTube channel.