From today 1st April 2003 motorcycles and scooters will not be charged to use the Dartford- Thurrock Crossing which links the M25 over the River Thames.

Although the new charging scheme will exclude bikers, it is important that motorcyclists and scooters continue to stop at the tollbooths so that the operators can raise the barriers.

The Highways Agency announced in January Le Crossing, a consortia of Ringway, Babtie and Cofiroute, will be the new operator. Le Crossing takes over from the Dartford River Crossing Company Ltd whose concession ends on 31st March 2003 under the terms of Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988. The Secretary of State decided that at the end of this period, the operation of the crossing would go out to competitive tender and a new charging scheme would be introduced. Le Crossing's new contract is for a period of between three and five years depending upon performance and reviews.

The scheme will also exempt bus services and introduce a flat rate of £1 between 10pm and 6am for all classes of vehicles. Charges for motorists will remain unchanged. All the proceeds from the charging scheme, over and above operation and maintenance costs, will be spent on transport schemes. This will see around £50m a year being spent on transport projects that would otherwise not be available.

Arthur Norton, Highways Agency service manager said: "The crossing is an important link on the M25, which carries around 145,000 vehicles every day. The new charging scheme will help encourage greater use of the crossing at off-peak periods and provide exemptions for motorcyclists and local bus services."

The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport, which manages, maintains and improves the network of trunk roads and motorways in England on behalf of the Secretary of State. It works closely with other transport operators and with local authorities to integrate the trunk road network with the rest of England's roads and other forms of transport.

What the BMF says - BIKES GO FREE WHEN THE BELL TOLLS!

28/3 - When Big Ben tolls midnight on 31st March, another sort of toll, those for motorcycles using the M25 Dartford Crossing, will disappear, a sure sign say the BMF that the benefits of travelling by powered two wheeler are increasingly being recognised.

In welcoming the move, the 140,000 strong British Motorcyclists Federation, Britain’s most influential rider group and a strong campaigner on such issues, points out that it has always sought to have tolls removed on the basis that motorcycles cause negligible wear and tear and can actually ease traffic flows.

This was part of its submission to the Highways Agency consultation process that resulted in last April’s decision by the Secretary of State to finally remove motorcycle tolls as from midnight on 31st March this year.

In line with its long held position on tolls, the BMF first made a case for exemption during the setting up of the Thames crossing’s private finance initiative in the late eighties and has also lobbied for an exclusive ‘motorcycles only’ toll-free channel. However the latter has not proved possible and motorcyclists should continue to use the existing channels, the difference being, they won’t have to pay!

With motorcycles also being exempt from London’s congestion charging, free to park in most towns and cities and increasingly allowed to use bus lanes, the removal of the 40p toll is yet another incentive for people to take to two wheels say the BMF.

Bikes go free!