Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to reduce delays on the roads approaching the M25 to cross the Dartford Crossing.

Both the Department and Highways England are committed to improving traffic flows and journeys for road users around the Dartford Crossing. A Road User Charge (RUC) has been place at the Crossing since 2003 to manage high demand for its use, after a 2001 study reported that traffic levels would be 17% higher if the charge was removed.

The Department committed £10 million for improvements to tackle congestion surrounding the Crossing. This has been used to upgrade the M25 Junction 2 to improve journey times for traffic using the junction south of the Crossing, design an improvement scheme to widen the west-bound link on the A206 bridge across the A282 at Junction 1a to increase capacity and reduce queuing; and has supported co-operation with Kent Police to provide improved enforcement of traffic violations in this area, including of yellow box markings on the A282 at Junction 1b.

Additionally, the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) will ease congestion on the Dartford Crossing, by almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London through the longest road tunnel in the UK. Highways England is continuing to develop its plans for the LTC and intends to re-submit its Development Consent Order application later this year.