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Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988

1988 c. 20 · Enacted 28 June 1988 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 29 June 2026.

An Act to provide for the construction of a bridge over the river Thames between Dartford in Kent and Thurrock in Essex and of associated works; to provide for the Secretary of State to be the highway authority for the highways passing through the tunnels under that river between Dartford and Thurrock and their approaches instead of Kent and Essex County Councils; to provide for the levying of tolls, by a person appointed by the Secretary of State or by the Secretary of State, in respect of traffic using the crossing; to provide for transfers of property and liabilities of those Councils to the person appointed and the Secretary of State and for the transfer to the Secretary of State of property and liabilities of the person appointed on termination of his appointment; to provide for the management of the crossing, including the imposition of prohibitions, restrictions and requirements in relation to traffic, and otherwise in relation to the crossing; and for connected purposes.

[28th June 1988] I1

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act applied (with modifications) (10.5.2021) by The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/112), arts. 1(4), 35(1)(2), Sch. 5 para. 6

C2

Act applied (with modifications) (21.3.2024) by The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner Functions) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/414), arts. 1(2), 5, Sch. 1 para. 6

Commencement

I1

Act partly in force at Royal Assent see s. 47(2); Act wholly in force 31.7.1988 see ss. 4, 47(2)

Contents

  1. Part I: Construction of New Bridge over River Thames
  2. 1Construction of the scheduled works.
  3. 2Acquisition of land for the scheduled works and other authorised works.
  4. 3Supplementary provision as to authorised works.
  5. Part II: Transfer of Tunnels and Tunnel Approaches
  6. Status of tunnel highway and tunnel approaches, etc.
  7. 4Trunking of tunnel highway and tunnel approaches.
  8. 5Status of roads, etc., other than the tunnel highway.
  9. Transfers consequential on section 4
  10. 6Transfer of tunnel crossing and tunnel approaches to Secretary of State.
  11. 7Transfer of toll undertaking to person appointed under section 11.
  12. 8Supplementary provisions and transfers of staff.
  13. Financial provisions
  14. 9Termination of borrowings for tunnels, etc.
  15. 10Payment of transfer expenses.
  16. Part III: Operation of the Crossing
  17. Power to levy tolls and management and maintenance, etc., of the crossing and the approach roads
  18. 11Power to levy tolls for use of the crossing.
  19. 12Delegation of functions of Secretary of State in relation to the crossing and the approach roads.
  20. 13Leases of crossing land, etc.: application of landlord and tenant law.
  21. 14Termination of appointment under section 11 after the transfer date.
  22. 15Termination: supplementary provisions.
  23. 16Time limit for levy of tolls.
  24. Tolls and their administration
  25. 17Classification of vehicles and level of tolls.
  26. 18Temporary suspension of tolls.
  27. 19Exemption from tolls.
  28. 20Composition agreements.
  29. 21List of tolls to be exhibited.
  30. 22Refusal to pay tolls.
  31. Regulation of traffic using crossing or approach roads
  32. 23Restriction on use by certain classes of traffic.
  33. 24Special traffic restrictions.
  34. 25Large vehicles and safety.
  35. 26Removal of stationary vehicles.
  36. 27Services for transporting cycles and cyclists through crossing.
  37. 28Traffic officers.
  38. 29Offences.
  39. Miscellaneous and supplementary
  40. 30Planning permission.
  41. 31Pollution controls, etc.
  42. 32Recovery of tolls and charges.
  43. 33Accounts of person appointed under section 11.
  44. 34Accounts of Secretary of State.
  45. 35Offences by bodies corporate.
  46. 36Application of Part III to Crown.
  47. Part IV: Miscellaneous and General
  48. 37Works affecting the river Thames.
  49. 38Restrictions on works on crossing and approach roads.
  50. 39Application of public utilities street works code to all works at the crossing.
  51. 40Rating.
  52. 41Protection of interests.
  53. 42Correction of deposited plans.
  54. 43Determination of questions referred to arbitration.
  55. 44Orders and regulations.
  56. 45Financial provision.
  57. 46Interpretation.
  58. 46AAppointment of a strategic highways company
  59. 47Short title, commencement and extent.
  60. Schedule 1: The Scheduled Works
  61. IThe Works
  62. Part II: Supplementary
  63. Limits of deviation
  64. 1Paragraph 1
  65. Particulars of the bridge
  66. 2Paragraph 2
  67. Schedule 2: Acquisition of Land
  68. IPurposes for which Certain Land may be Acquired or Used
  69. Part II: Supplementary
  70. Period of notice
  71. 1Paragraph 1
  72. Acquisition of rights
  73. 2Paragraph 2
  74. Subsoil and under-surface
  75. 3Paragraph 3
  76. Minerals
  77. 4Paragraph 4
  78. Private rights of way
  79. 5Paragraph 5
  80. Provisions as to compensation
  81. 6Paragraph 6
  82. 7Paragraph 7
  83. Schedule 3: Supplementary Provisions as to Authorised Works
  84. Temporary occupation of specified sites
  85. 1Paragraph 1
  86. Stopping up of and interference with highways
  87. 2Paragraph 2
  88. Paragraph
  89. Temporary interference with highways
  90. 3Paragraph 3
  91. Status of new highways
  92. 4Paragraph 4
  93. 5Paragraph 5
  94. Application of highways legislation
  95. 6Paragraph 6
  96. 7Paragraph 7
  97. 8Paragraph 8
  98. 9Paragraph 9
  99. Road traffic regulation
  100. 10Paragraph 10
  101. 11Paragraph 11
  102. Schedule 4: Transfer of Tunnels and Tunnel Approaches: Supplementary and Transitional Provisions
  103. Connected transfers and supplementary provisions
  104. 1Paragraph 1
  105. 2Paragraph 2
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. 4Paragraph 4
  108. 5Paragraph 5
  109. 6Paragraph 6
  110. Transitional provisions
  111. 7Paragraph 7
  112. 8Paragraph 8
  113. 9Paragraph 9
  114. 10Paragraph 10
  115. Schedule 5: Transfers of Staff
  116. Part I: Staff Employed at the Tunnel Crossing Before the Transfer Date
  117. Application of Employment Transfer Regulations
  118. 1Paragraph 1
  119. Provision with respect to pensions, etc.
  120. 2Paragraph 2
  121. Part II: Staff Employed by the Person Appointed to Levy Tolls
  122. Application of Employment Transfer Regulations
  123. 3Paragraph 3
  124. Preservation of pensions, etc.
  125. 4Paragraph 4
  126. 5Paragraph 5
  127. Part III: Supplementary
  128. 6Paragraph 6
  129. Schedule 6: The Toll Period
  130. Part I: The Period Allowed for the Levy of Tolls by the Person Appointed
  131. The maximum toll period
  132. 1Paragraph 1
  133. Early termination of the toll period
  134. 2Paragraph 2
  135. 3Paragraph 3
  136. Toll extension period
  137. 4Paragraph 4
  138. Part II: The Period Allowed for the Levy of Tolls by the Secretary of State
  139. The original maximum toll period
  140. 5Paragraph 5
  141. Relevant receipts and assumed interest receipts
  142. 6Paragraph 6
  143. Extension of the original maximum toll period
  144. 7Paragraph 7
  145. Early termination of the relevant period
  146. 8Paragraph 8
  147. References to interest
  148. 9Paragraph 9
  149. Assumptions as to application of relevant receipts and assumed interest receipts
  150. 10Paragraph 10
  151. Part III: Purposes Relevant to Part II
  152. 11Paragraph 11
  153. 12Paragraph 12
  154. 13Paragraph 13
  155. 14Paragraph 14
  156. 15Paragraph 15
  157. 16Paragraph 16
  158. 17Paragraph 17
  159. 18Paragraph 18
  160. Schedule 7: Protective Provisions
  161. Part I: Protection of Port Authority and River Users
  162. 1Paragraph 1
  163. 2Paragraph 2
  164. 3Paragraph 3
  165. 4Paragraph 4
  166. 5Paragraph 5
  167. 6Paragraph 6
  168. 7Paragraph 7
  169. 8Paragraph 8
  170. 9Paragraph 9
  171. 10Paragraph 10
  172. 11Paragraph 11
  173. 12Paragraph 12
  174. 13Paragraph 13
  175. 14Paragraph 14
  176. 15Paragraph 15
  177. 16Paragraph 16
  178. 17Paragraph 17
  179. 18Paragraph 18
  180. Part II: Protection Against Siltation or Scouring
  181. 1Paragraph 1
  182. 2Paragraph 2
  183. 3Paragraph 3
  184. 4Paragraph 4
  185. 5Paragraph 5
  186. 6Paragraph 6
  187. Part III: Protection of Railways Board
  188. 1Paragraph 1
  189. 2Paragraph 2
  190. 3Paragraph 3
  191. 4Paragraph 4
  192. 5Paragraph 5
  193. 6Paragraph 6
  194. 7Paragraph 7
  195. 8Paragraph 8
  196. 9Paragraph 9
  197. 10Paragraph 10
  198. 11Paragraph 11
  199. 12Paragraph 12
  200. Part IV: Protection of Sewers and Land Drainage
  201. 1Paragraph 1
  202. 2Paragraph 2
  203. 3Paragraph 3
  204. 4Paragraph 4
  205. 5Paragraph 5
  206. 6Paragraph 6
  207. 7Paragraph 7
  208. 8Paragraph 8
  209. 9Paragraph 9
  210. 10Paragraph 10
  211. 11Paragraph 11
  212. 12Paragraph 12
  213. 13Paragraph 13
  214. 14Paragraph 14
  215. Part V: Protection of RTZ Estates Limited
  216. 1Paragraph 1
  217. 2Paragraph 2
  218. 3Paragraph 3