# Dartford Crossing - how to avoid?



## eddied

Buon giorno tutti, not long before I should be making my way from Channel ports towards Lincoln. The one thing I find really irksome is the Dartford crossing. Is the Tilbury ferry a viable alternative? Thought of making towards the M11/A1. via A128 and A414. Are these slower than M25?
Many thanks for any suggestions.
saluti,
eddied


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## asprn

Morning Eddie,

Why so irksome? It's busy, but not normally desperately so. We always use it, and even with slow traffic, it's soon out the way. M11/A1/A46 is indeed the way to go.

Dougie.


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## geraldandannie

eddied said:


> Is the Tilbury ferry a viable alternative?


I don't think so, Eddie. The Tilbury ferry is passenger only, as far as I know. You might be thinking of the Woolwich ferry, but you will need to drive towards London, cross the river, and then drive out again.

As Dougie says, the Dartford crossing isn't too bad. Avoid the morning rush hour if you can (7am - 10am), and ESPECIALLY avoid Friday tea time (2pm - whenever the queues clear, but probably 7pm). We always use the Dartford crossings to travel from East London to Kent and the coast, and indeed anywhere in the south of England. It's usually fast and convenient.

Gerald


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## 107088

Eddie, 
Its not such a problem if you can choose the time you use the tunnel. before 0630 or after 0900 its reasonably ok, with a bit of queue.

Tilbury is not an option, but Woolwich is, however the trip up the A2 ( I think) from the M25 is a right pain in the backside til prolly 1030 ish. before that you'll queue and queue for ages, and dont try Balckwall if your mototrhome is over 3m ( I;m sure its that, you need an escort through apparently)

other than that you may find your alternative is to whizz aaaallll the way round the M25 via eef-froe hairpart.


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## hilldweller

The only *real* alternative, sail into Hull !

Or be patient.


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## cabby

As already said the tunnel which only costs a £1 is the best way, providing you can avoid the rush ??? hours. :lol: :lol: 

cabby


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## Rapide561

*Dartford Crossing*

Hi Eddie

When approaching the tolls from the M20 direction, I keep over towards the middle/right, (avoiding the auto tolls,) as I find the queues shorter.

Russell


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## Fego

bandaid said:


> Eddie,
> ... dont try Balckwall if your mototrhome is over 3m ( I;m sure its that, you need an escort through apparently)
> 
> other than that you may find your alternative is to whizz aaaallll the way round the M25 via eef-froe hairpart.


I use the A2 and Blackwall Tunnel every day and have taken my van through it many times. Unlike the Dartford Tunnel, there isn't an escort facility and that is just for dangerous goods I think. At the Blackwall Tunnel you will be stopped if you are overheight and sent on a different way. So you won't have any trouble using the Blackwall Tunnel if you preferred that route. However, the morning rush from about 7 until 10 will see you queueing for about 3 miles or 30 mins.

If it were me, I'd choose A2 -> Dartford Tunnel every time. In fact, I did just that when I went to Lincoln a few weeks back. You wont have any problem at all and you might even avoid a queue (it's hit and miss and depends mostly on the staff changing shifts times). If there is a queue btw, stay in the left lane because there is an exit just before the toll booths so that lane moves quickest.

Safe travels...


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## 108717

Maybe Eddied has memories of the tunnel with the roadworks around christmas. In a motorhome it was a little perilous because the lanes were narrow and trucks were aggressive. I did it in December when we picked up our Hymer from Germany. After the calm of European roads, a nice kip in Calais and the eurotunnel the chaos was a bit disturbing, especially in a new van and was the first point on the whole trip from northern Germany when I REALLY had to think about the width. You get more nervous wedged between concrete and articulated lorry!

But since then it's settled down a bit I think.


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## jamiealana

*blackwall tunnel*

Never again would we use the tunnel, went through it in the kontiki just as we entered it there was a loud bang so we pulled into that little exit road just at the entrance like to add this was north bound as soon as we pulled in and got out to see what had happened all hell broke loose some one started shouting over a loud speaker telling us we were were a security risk and for our own good to get back in the motor and leave immediately,anyway you want to know what the bang was well those big steel bars that hang down at the tunnel missed the roof but hit the rear ladder on the motorhome ripping it right out the roof, two more inches down and they would have opened the roof up from end to end ,SO BE AWARE FOLKS .ALAN


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## asprn

*Re: blackwall tunnel*



jamiealana said:


> two more inches down and they would have opened the roof up from end to end ,SO BE AWARE FOLKS


Or, put another way - pay attention to the height restriction notices posted at regular intervals on the approach to the tunnel. 

Dougie.


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## 107088

Dont beat about the bush, Dougie, just come out with it.



good point tho', as one of the " Completely paranoid about the height of the RV and it hitting anything" brigade. I virtually leap out with a tape measure when the sun gets low in the evening.


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## Briarose

Hi Eddie we used Dartford both ways Feb/Mar with no problems.


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## olley

Hi has the height changed at blackwall in the last few years? or am I going senile, :? as I am sure we went through it in the winnie about 2 years ago after leaving Abbey Wood campsite, and hearing on the radio that the M25 was blocked.

Olley


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## hazzatom

I'm heading for the Chunnel on a Friday from the Midlands in a couple of week's time. Given the comments about the Dartford Crossing congestion, anyone know what the congestion is like coming down from the M40 and heading anticlockwise round the M25 at about 3pm to 4 pm?
Andy


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## asprn

olley said:


> Hi has the height changed at blackwall in the last few years?


Off topic, but a good question. I stopped a MH two weeks ago on the A46 with his satellite dish raised and sticking out sideways from the roof (somewhat flapping too). He knew about it, & said he'd hit it on the Blackwall Tunnel roof but as it didn't seem about to fall off, he carried on. Wasn't a big van.



banjoaid said:


> Dont beat about the bush, Dougie, just come out with it


_[Note to self - must stop being unnecessarily diplomatic]_

Dougie.


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## asprn

hazzatom said:


> anyone know what the congestion is like coming down from the M40 and heading anticlockwise round the M25 at about 3pm to 4 pm?


Only too well. It's one of the bigger reasons why we moved from Surrey 13 years ago.

Dougie.


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## johng1974




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## 107088

May be a bit conjested at that time on a Friday, but normally, you wont be queueing for excessive times, from the M40 junction to just after the M3 can be heavy, but normally the traffic tends to ease after that. Not sure about the traffic from J6,6 or 8 'cos I go off on the M23 most often.

it really goes stupid from about 5 oclock, and dont be tempeted to go clockwise, as its no better.


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## asprn

johng1974 said:


>


At least somebody got it.


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## eddied

*Dartford crossing*

 Buon giorno tutti e grazie,
thanks everybody for your replies. The reason I find it irksome is that I just don't like traffic queues (who does!) and have a very low tolerance threshold. Anyway, looks like I'll just have to grin and bear Dartford then.
Since I'm an early riser probably go for the before 06:30 slot. Have done the Woolwich ferry from Abbey Wood to Excel in the past, and don't see any point or fancy at all anywhere near Central London. Same with ring a ring a roses around M25, with the price of diesel as it is. :roll: 
Hope I'll meet some of you in Lincoln.
saluti,
eddied


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## geraldandannie

hazzatom said:


> anyone know what the congestion is like coming down from the M40 and heading anticlockwise round the M25 at about 3pm to 4 pm?


As bandaid said, don't be tempted to do the clockwise thing. From around 2 o'clock on the M25 clock face (Essex) around to Dartford is the pits at that time of night. We quite often drive across the M25 on the A13, and tut at the huge queue of stationary traffic trying to go clockwise across Dartford.

From the M40 round to the M3 can be slow, with the temporary speed restriction signs lit up (and usually failing to keep traffic moving), but after then it's reasonably clear, often with 4 lanes available. Sometimes it gets a bit busy around the M23. It gets busy again around Dartford, but you'll have left the M25 by then.

Gerald


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## asprn

*Re: Dartford crossing*



eddied said:


> Hope I'll meet some of you in Lincoln.


I'll be dropping in to make sure you're all behaving yourselves (and for a cuppa...)  Hope to meet you there.

Dougie.


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## 96299

*Re: Dartford crossing*



eddied said:


> Buon giorno tutti e grazie,
> The reason I find it irksome is that I just don't like traffic queues (who does!) and have a very low tolerance threshold.
> saluti,
> eddied


This is why I only venture out on the road from hell at four or five in the morning. 8O Sunday mornings not too bad. :lol:

steev


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## passionwagon

8O Remember the LEZ rules. Check your registration on the TfL site to see if you will not incur a penalty within M25!


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## 113016

The best way is via the Dartford Crossing and around the M25.
Then up the M11  
Any other way will probably take you longer :x


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## teemyob

*Dartford*

Hello,

"The Dartford River Crossing"

Used it many times, even know how to get through free, always pay mind. Only one problem a few years back. We sat in traffic for 6 hours. Other than that if the traffic reports are bad we go the other way around.

As the other poster mentioned there is Hull, depends how large and how many you are? There are eight of us sailing out from Hull with P&O in a couple of weeks, total fare £830 return, mostly covered by Tesco deals that they accepted at the time. Return fares start at around £280 return for two Adults, inside cabin 6m motorhome.

Trev.


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## marionandrob

Hi Eddied
The Dartford crossing is normally O.K as long as you avoid peak periods - say 7;30-10 16:00 - 18:30.
If you come up the M2 from the channel ports/Dover there is now a new road link open at the juncton of the M2/M25 so you can go straight from the M2 onto the M25 towards the Dartford crossing without having to negotiate that awful roundabout, did it it April with the motorhome and it was easy.
The best tip is to stay in the left hand lane when approaching the toll booths, once past the slip road for Stone the approach widens out on the left ( opposite side to the autotolls).
Try to avoid getting into the furthest lane to the left when going through the tunnels ( left lane of left hand tunnel) as this one goes off to the left just after the tunnel ( to Lakeside shopping centre) and it can be difficult to get out into the next lane due to traffic pulling across for the A13 exit a few hundred yards further on. 
If you have Google Earth it may help to have a look at the crossing and approaches.
We live near Chelmsford and can normally do the run to Dover from here in just under two hours in non rush hour traffic.

See you at Lincoln
Marion and Robin


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## vicdicdoc

hazzatom said:


> I'm heading for the Chunnel on a Friday from the Midlands in a couple of week's time. Given the comments about the Dartford Crossing congestion, anyone know what the congestion is like coming down from the M40 and heading anticlockwise round the M25 at about 3pm to 4 pm?
> Andy


 . . . . no problem, just have a flask of coffee by your side & a few sandwiches to pass the time whilst crawling along :wink:


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