If you drive through the Dartford Crossing, get ready to pay more from 1 September 2025 — a 40% increase is coming, and many drivers aren’t happy about it.
The cost for cars, motorhomes and small minibuses will jump from £2.50 to £3.50 per crossing. And if you don’t pre-pay, you could be hit even harder.
Motoring groups have called it a blatant “cash grab”. The RAC Foundation says it’s a stretch to claim the price hike is about managing traffic, especially since there aren’t exactly any good alternative routes. And the AA's president didn’t hold back — calling the toll a “nice little earner” that should’ve ended over 20 years ago.
How much more are you going to pay?
| Vehicle Type | Current Fee | From 1 Sept 2025 | Pre-pay (From 1 Sept) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorbikes, mopeds, quads | Free | Free | Free |
| Cars, small minibuses, motorhomes | £2.50 | £3.50 | £2.80 |
| Vans, 2-axle buses/coaches | £3.00 | £4.20 | £3.60 |
| Lorries, large buses/coaches | £6.00 | £8.40 | £7.20 |
Even residents with local passes will see a bump — from £20 a year to £25.
Why now?
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood says the increase is to help with traffic flow. But critics say usage has only gone up 7.5% in the last 11 years — not exactly a surge. Peak-time traffic already clogs the route, which regularly sees up to 180,000 vehicles a day, far more than it was designed for.
The toll booths were scrapped in 2014 to help keep traffic moving, and the “Dart Charge” system was brought in. But now it seems drivers are being charged more for the same old delays.
A bit of history
- The first Dartford tunnel opened in 1963, the second in 1980, and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge opened in 1991.
- In 1999, the Government said tolling would stop in 2003 once the bridge was paid off. Spoiler: it didn’t.
- Since then, charges have continued — and now they’re going up again.
What about future fixes?
A new Lower Thames Crossing has been in the works since 2009, promising to ease pressure on Dartford. It’ll link the A2/M2 in Kent with the A13/M25 in Essex, using what would be the UK’s longest road tunnel (2.6 miles).
But it’s still a long way off — more than £800 million has already been spent just on planning. And the Government isn’t exactly giving clear answers on when it’ll be ready.
If you're one of the thousands who drive this route regularly — especially for work — this 40% hike will sting. You can't avoid the crossing, and there's still no solid Plan B.
So while ministers say it's about traffic control, to most drivers, it just feels like yet another unavoidable cost being passed down the road.
