Following the proposed changes to toll charges at Dartford Crossing, reporter VICKI FOSTER takes a look at its history.

DARTFORD Crossing is situated across the River Thames between Dartford and Thurrock.

It comprises of two two-lane tunnels which carries traffic to the north and a four-lane bridge carrying traffic to the south.

In 1929, Kent and Essex County Councils put forward a bill for the construction of a tunnel to make a connection for motorists across the water.

The first tunnel was built at a cost of £13m and opened to traffic in November 1963.

The toll charge for a car at the time was two shillings six pence which was 12.5p.

Around four million vehicles passed through the tunnel in its first year so another one was built.

This took eight years to complete and was opened in May 1980 at a cost of £45m.

When the M25 was completed in 1986, the tunnels provided a link in the national road network.

The daily average volume of traffic exceeded the designed capacity of 65,000 vehicles and it was estimated that more than 40 million vehicles were using them annually.

At the end of July 1988 the construction of a bridge began.

The new bridge cost £86m to build and was opened in 1991. It was named The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.

Beneath the waterline, the bridge rests on two reinforced concrete foundations with each being equivalent in volume to 400 double-decker buses and weighing a total of 85,000 tonnes. The highest point motorists reach is 65m above the river.

It was built under an agreement that the public would cover the construction costs by paying a toll charge of £1 each way to pass through the tunnels and across the bridge.

The cost of the bridge was met in April 2003 however the Government's change of mind meant drivers continued to pay the charge.

The Government said the tolls have been kept in place because they help to tackle congestion and revenues from the crossing are invested in public transport.

To date more than £340m has been raised from the tolls.

A recent public consultation has confirmed that Dartford residents will benefit from cheaper crossings.

At the moment cars passing through it pay £1 each way 24 hours a day, but under the new proposals the standard cost will be £1.50 and free between 10pm and 6am.

Residents of the Dartford and Thurrock boroughs will be entitled to 50 free crossings per year after paying a £10 annual administration fee. Additional journeys will cost 20p.

To benefit from the discount residents need to register annually and apply for an electronic tag which should be displayed in their car's windscreen.

District Manager of Gravesham Libraries and local historian Chris Bull has been is a regular user of the crossing.

He said: "I have been using the crossing since there were only two tunnels and as a child I remember going through the tunnel when there was only one.

"It has grown up over the years to cope with the demand in traffic but I think the tolls cause congestion and it has become worse over the years because more people have cars."

Other motorists can join the DART-Tag scheme which offers reduced rates for all users of the crossing.

The scheme currently allows motorists to cross for 93p during the day and night, but under the new proposals motorists will be charged £1 during the day and between 10pm and 6am it will be free.