The Minister has restated the Government’s commitment to the discount scheme, which was first announced in April this year, and announced that a public consultation on the details on the scheme will begin in the Autumn.

Crucially, the Minister has also stated that the DfT’s revised charging scheme for the crossing, which will see the peak toll for cars increase from £1 to £1.50, will not be increased while the local discount scheme is being developed.

“This is an important guarantee,” said Dartford MP, Dr Howard Stoate. “Introducing a local discount scheme of this nature isn’t a straightforward task, and it is taking a while to work out the finer technical details of the scheme. As a result some people have expressed the concern that the new charging scheme would end up being introduced before the discount scheme was ready. I’m pleased therefore that the Minister has acted today to allay these concerns.”

No firm date has been set for the introduction of new charging regime. The Department for Transport has said today that the earliest that this could be brought in is Spring 2008.
Dr Stoate has also made it clear that he will be pressing hard for a 90% discount for Dartford residents in the forthcoming consultation on the discount scheme. This is the same level of discount that is currently offered to residents living within the London Congestion Charge Scheme.

“Anything less than a 90% discount for Dartford residents is unacceptable as far as I am concerned. Earlier this year, the then Transport Minister, Stephen Ladyman, said that they would get as close as possible to the 90% figure that I was calling for, and I expect the DfT to honour this commitment;” said the MP.