1. This Order may be cited as the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Tolls Order 2000 and shall, in accordance with section 17(11) of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988, come into force on 1st September 2000.

2.-(1) The toll leviable in respect of each of the classes of vehicles set out in column (1) of the Schedule to this Order shall be of the amount set out or described opposite thereto in column (2) of that Schedule.

(2) For the purposes of determining the class of vehicles to which a trailer belongs, a trailer which, when being drawn, is attached to the vehicle drawing it by partial superimposition shall be regarded as part of the vehicle drawing it and not as a separate vehicle.

3. The Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Tolls Order 1999(2) is hereby revoked.

Article 2

SCHEDULETOLLS LEVIABLE IN RESPECT OF TRAFFIC USING THE CROSSING

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which comes into force on the 1st September 2000, fixes the amounts of the tolls to be paid to use the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing.

The classes of vehicles in respect of which tolls may be levied under the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act ("the Act") are those established by the Dartford Tunnel Tolls (Revision) Order 1983(4). As in previous years, a toll is levied in respect of all classes except that comprising bicycles which are not mechanically powered.

For each class of vehicle in respect of which a toll is levied, the amount of the toll has been calculated, in accordance with section 17(5) of the Act, by increasing the amount applicable in the case of that class on 1st January 1986 by the same percentage as the percentage increase in the retail prices index between December 1985 and June 2000 which is the base month in relation to the revision date in question. The percentage increase is 78.14% and after applying the rounding provisions in section 17(6) of the Act results in an increase in tolls as follows:

(a)for each motor cycle or mechanically powered bicycle, with or without sidecar, and whether or not conveyed by any service provided under section 27 (services for transporting cycles and cyclists through the crossing) of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988) of 10 pence (from 30p to 40p) and

(b)for each light or medium goods vehicle, motor coach, omnibus or tractor having no more than two axles, of 10 pence (from 170p to 180p) and

(c)for heavy goods vehicles, motor coaches or omnibuses having more than two axles, of 10 pence (from £2.80 to £2.90) and

(d)for each special type vehicle which is only permitted to be on the road under the authority of an Order made by the Secretary of State under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, of 10 pence (from £2.80 to £2.90).

The tolls for all other classes of vehicle in respect of which tolls are leviable remain at the level prescribed by the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Tolls Order 1999. That Order is now revoked.