Anyone else here sick of the Dartford Crossing?

jrtfan

As per the title, really - just wondering if the mess that is the crossing has had much of an impact on many other people here, either from having to use it regularly or from living/working somewhere nearby. I was reading recently on one of the local Facebook groups that someone has been trying to gauge likely interest for the return of the Tilbury ferry to take vehicles across the Thames once more - haven't been back yet to check on what sort of response there's been.

waamo

I'm going over the bridge tomorrow and back through the tunnel Sunday. It's a regular journey for me.

Removing the toll barriers has helped a bit but it's often clogged. There are too many junctions in a short space. Combined with perpetual roadworks the area often comes to a standstill. Throw in two large shopping areas next door to each other and you have a recipe for chaos. Then you are expected to pay for the privalige of using it.

There is a proposal for another crossing but this will take years. I hate it with a passion.

jrtfan

Does it seem to you that it's much less hassle to use the bridge now that the tolls have gone, but going north through the tunnels has become the stuff of nightmares?

I've heard ongoing stories of road works on the A13 causing big tailbacks on the Essex side. Here in Kent, it's one accident after another closing all or part of a carriageway on the A2/M25/M20 on a daily basis now, sometimes more than one incident per day. I'm sure people must be getting so frustrated at sitting in tailbacks around the north bound crossing, that some are taking risks just to try and shave a bit off their journey times.

I believe Dartford Council is pushing for the proposed new crossing to be located to the east of Gravesend. As you say though, whatever they build in the end is still a long way in the future

Good luck with your journey later this week. I drove up to Wales on a Saturday evening recently but discovered the crossing was closed that night, so I stupidly followed the diversion signs and ended going clockwise all the way around the M25 to the M1

waamo

I agree the bridge is better than the tunnel. The amount of accidents I see on the M25 is ridiculous as is the amount of roadworks on the whole motorway network. Will they ever end?

peachyprice

I use it regularly, 5-6 times a month, going south is fine. it's usually around 5.30am so I sail through. Coming back the other way can be a nightmare, other times, like this Monday evening, it can be a breeze.

The roadworks the other side are definitley making matters worse, they've been regularly stopping traffic entering the tunnels due to queues the other side, but on the whole, even when it's busy, it does move through quicker than before. Hopefully things will improve once the A13 is finished.

I can use the Blackwall Tunnel, and often do in the morning just for a bit of variety, but trying to get through there in the evening is even worse than the Dartford Crossing.

They're going to have to start discussing another crossing soon, it can't go on like this.

Le_Kirk

Agree that the bridge is better now that toll booths are gone and road works complete - for now. Tunnels are a nightmare. Spent Sunday evening looking at firework displays whilst crawling along. 30 minutes to get through (nowhere near a record) and when you emerge out the other end ............. away goes the traffic, no accidents, no road works just .......... nothing, so why the hold up?

jrtfan

waamo wrote: »

I agree the bridge is better than the tunnel. The amount of accidents I see on the M25 is ridiculous as is the amount of roadworks on the whole motorway network. Will they ever end?

You're right there - it feels like Highways are doing a job lot of maintenance work all of a sudden. Even putting cones out along a section of the M6 Toll the weekend before last. That said, there were no gantry signals or traffic/speed restrictions along that particular motorway, not even when I was passing the road crew in the only remaining open lane! (I slowed to around 35mph at this point anyway, of my own accord lol!)

jrtfan

peachyprice wrote: »

I use it regularly, 5-6 times a month, going south is fine. it's usually around 5.30am so I sail through. Coming back the other way can be a nightmare, other times, like this Monday evening, it can be a breeze.

The roadworks the other side are definitley making matters worse, they've been regularly stopping traffic entering the tunnels due to queues the other side, but on the whole, even when it's busy, it does move through quicker than before. Hopefully things will improve once the A13 is finished.

I can use the Blackwall Tunnel, and often do in the morning just for a bit of variety, but trying to get through there in the evening is even worse than the Dartford Crossing.

They're going to have to start discussing another crossing soon, it can't go on like this.

It does sound like the A13 might be a big part of what's been causing all of the congestion on the Kent side, from what you've said. Somebody told me too that the 2 tunnels are of different heights, and traffic is also being held regularly so that tall loads can be escorted through the correct one - apparently, they often struggle to manoeuvre themselves into the appropriate lanes first, due to the sheer weight of stationary traffic around them. This is just anecdotal though, I haven't seen this happening for myself.

It's strange how, once in a while, the roads suddenly free up for no apparent reason! I noticed the A2 was moving freely as well today, both this morning and this evening, can't remember when it was last like this!

jrtfan

Le_Kirk wrote: »

Agree that the bridge is better now that toll booths are gone and road works complete - for now. Tunnels are a nightmare. Spent Sunday evening looking at firework displays whilst crawling along. 30 minutes to get through (nowhere near a record) and when you emerge out the other end ............. away goes the traffic, no accidents, no road works just .......... nothing, so why the hold up?

It's so frustrating isn't it? Often seems to happen that way though, even in traffic jams on other motorways/main roads. I wonder if it's all down to bottlenecks? There is a section of the A2 London-bound that is solid with traffic crawling along on weekday mornings, roughly from the A2/M2 junction to just past the slip road from Tollgate/Wrotham, and it's only this bad because so many cars are trying to join from the Gravesend area. Soon as you're past Tollgate the traffic starts to move more freely again (until the next hot spot area!).

Hope the firework displays were good, anyway!