Statutory Instruments
1997 No. 1915

HIGHWAYS, ENGLAND AND WALES
The Dartford–Thurrock Crossing (Amendment) Regulations 1997

Made
1st August 1997

Laid before Parliament
11th August 1997

Coming into force
1st September 1997

The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 25(1) and (2), 26, 44(3) and 46(1)(1) of the Dartford–Thurrock Crossing Act 1988(2), hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Dartford–Thurrock Crossing (Amendment) Regulations 1997 and shall come into force on 1st September 1997.

Abnormal loads

2.  For Parts I and II of the Table to Regulation 2 of the Dartford–Thurrock Crossing (Amendment) Regulations 1996(3) (“the 1996 Regulations”) there shall be substituted the following:—

PART I

Time of Commencement of Passage
1996 Charge
1997 Charge

Overall width

Greater than 2.75 metres and not more than 6.1 metres
Passage commencing after 06.00 hours and before 22.00 hours
£38
£39

Greater than 2.75 metres and not more than 6.1 metres
Passage commencing on or after 22.00 hours and on or before 06.00 hours
£18
£19

Greater than 6.1 metres
At any time
£173
£178

Overall length

Greater than 18.3 metres and not more than 27.4 metres
Passage commencing after 06.00 hours and before 22.00 hours
£38
£39

Greater than 18.3 metres and not more than 27.4 metres
Passage commencing on or after 22.00 hours and on or before 06.00 hours
£18
£19

Greater than 27.4 metres
At any time
£173
£178

Total weight of vehicle

Greater than 150,000 kilograms
At any time
£173
£178

PART II

Time of Commencement of Passage
1996 Charge
1997 Charge

Overall Width

Greater than 3.65 metres and not more than 6.1 metres
Passage commencing after 06.00 hours and before 22.00 hours
£38
£39

Greater than 3.65 metres and not more than 6.1 metres
Passage commencing on or after 22.00 hours and on or before 06.00 hours
£18
£19

Greater than 6.1 metres
At any time
£173
£178

Overall length

Greater than 27.4 metres
At any time
£173
£178

Total weight of vehicles

Greater than 150,000 kilograms
At any time
£173
£178

Dangerous goods

3.  In regulation 3 of the 1996 Regulations for the reference to the booklet entitled “Dangerous Traffic”, 9th edition issued in 1996, there shall be substituted a reference to the 9th edition of that booklet issued in 1997.

Removal of stationary vehicles

4.  For the table to regulation 4 of the 1996 Regulations there shall be substituted the following table:

(1) 1996
(1) 1997
(2) 1996
(2) 1997

Minimum Charge
Minimum Charge
Additional Charge
Additional Charge

Motor cycle & combinations
£8
£8
£3
£3

Vehicles with two axles—which could not be removed otherwise than by a large breakdown vehicle
£53
£54
£17
£18

in any other case
£31
£32
£10
£10

Vehicles with more than two axles
£105
£108
£35
£36

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Helene Hayman
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
30th July 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations increase the charges payable to the crossing operator (in addition to tolls) for the passage of abnormal loads through the tunnels or across the bridge and for removing or assisting broken down vehicles.
The crossing operator (as defined in section 12(4) of the Dartford–Thurrock Crossing Act 1988) is Dartford River Crossing Limited (whose address is given below).
The booklet entitled “Dangerous Traffic” referred to in regulation 3 may be obtained in person or by post from either Dartford River Crossing Ltd., Crossing Offices, South Orbital Way, Dartford, Kent, DA1 5PR, or the Mersey Tunnels, Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority, Georges Dock Building, Georges Dock Way, Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1DD, or the Tyne Tunnel, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear NE28 0PD.


(1)
See the definitions of “prescribed” and “regulations”.

(2)
1988 c. 20.

(3)
S.I. 1996/2047.