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===Western tunnel=== [[File:Dartford tunnel boring 1936.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Tunnel boring machine]] used in the western tunnel, 1936.]] {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Dartford Tunnel Act 1930 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to authorise the construction of a tunnel under the river Thames between Dartford in the county of Kent and Purfleet in the county of Essex and approaches to such tunnel and for other purposes. | year = 1930 | citation = [[20 & 21 Geo. 5]]. c. clxxxii | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 1 August 1930 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = Dartford Tunnel Act 1937 | repealing_legislation = Dartford Tunnel Act 1967 | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5/20-21/182/pdfs/ukla_19300182_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Dartford Tunnel Act 1937 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to authorise a variation of the works authorised by the Dartford Tunnel Act 1930 to amend that Act in certain respects and for other purposes. | year = 1937 | citation = [[1 Edw. 8. & 1 Geo. 6]] c. cxxvii | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 30 July 1937 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = Dartford Tunnel Act 1930 | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = Dartford Tunnel Act 1967 | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = {{visible anchor|Dartford Tunnel Act 1957}} | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to authorise variations of the works authorised by the Dartford Tunnel Acts 1930 and 1937 including the construction of new works to amend those Acts in certain respects to confer further powers in connection with those works and for other purposes. | year = 1957 | citation = [[5 & 6 Eliz. 2]]. c. xxxiv | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 31 July 1957 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = Dartford Tunnel Act 1967 | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Eliz2/5-6/34/pdfs/ukla_19570034_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} The idea of a tunnel crossing was first proposed by the [[Ministry of Transport (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Transport]] in 1924.<ref name='New Thames Tunnel'>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |title=New Thames Tunnel |date=20 December 1924}}</ref> Initial reports at the start of the year suggested a crossing between [[Tilbury]] and [[Gravesend, Kent|Gravesend]], replacing a [[Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry|ferry service]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Gravesend – Tilbury Tunnel |last=Gosling |first=Harry |date=28 February 1924 |work=[[Hansard |Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1924/feb/28/gravesend-tilbury-tunnel#S5CV0170P0_19240228_HOC_172 |access-date=30 April 2014}},</ref> but this had been rejected by July in favour of a route further upstream, near Dartford.<ref>{{cite web |title=Air Force Estimates 1924–25 |last=Burney |first=Charles |date=31 July 1924 |work=[[Hansard |Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1924/jul/31/air-force-estimates-1924-25#S5CV0176P0_19240731_HOC_441 |access-date=30 April 2014}}</ref> By 1929, the total cost of building the tunnel had been estimated at £3 million (equivalent to £{{inflation|UK-GDP|3|1929}} million in {{inflation/year|UK-GDP}}{{inflation/fn|UK-GDP}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Thames Tunnel Scheme |last=Ashley |first=Wilfrid |date=16 April 1929 |work=[[Hansard |Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1929/apr/16/thames-tunnel-scheme#S5CV0227P0_19290416_HOC_59 |access-date=30 April 2014}}</ref> The tunnel was planned to be part of a general orbital route around London and was provisionally known as part of the "South Orbital Road".{{sfn|TMA|2004|p=xxxii}} The '''{{visible anchor|Dartford Tunnel Act 1930}}''' ([[20 & 21 Geo. 5]]. c. clxxxii) authorised the construction of the tunnel, and set tolls to be charged for its use. It was amended by the '''{{visible anchor|Dartford Tunnel Act 1937}}''' ([[1 Edw. 8. & 1 Geo. 6]]. c. cxxvii) to adjust the design and increase the permitted tolls. [[File:Dartford crossing approach.jpg|thumb|Northbound vehicles approaching the entrance to the western tunnel, with the bridge in the background]] The first engineering work to take place was a [[compressed air]] driven pilot tunnel, which was drilled between 1936 and 1938.{{sfn|Jardine|McCallum|2013|p=246}} Work on the tunnel was delayed due to World War II, and resumed in 1959, using a [[Tunnelling shield|Greathead Shield]], similar to the work on the [[Blackwall Tunnel]] some 60 years earlier.{{sfn|Jardine|McCallum|2013|p=246}} The delay in work due to the war allowed the tunnel's design to be improved, which included a better ventilation system. After negotiations with the Ministry of Transport, Kent and Essex county councils obtained government approval to increase the previously set tolls in 1960, before opening.{{sfn|TMA|2004|p=846}} The two-lane bore, 28 feet | 8.6m diameter tunnel{{sfn|Banister|Berechman|2003|p=65}} opened to traffic on 18 November 1963;<ref name=AATrust/>{{sfn|Fautley|Garon|2004|p=263}} the total project cost was £13 million (equivalent to £{{inflation|UK-GDP|13|1963}} million in {{inflation/year|UK-GDP}}{{inflation/fn|UK-GDP}})<ref name="km">{{cite news |title=Golden birthday for Dartford Tunnel |work=Kent Messenger |date=18 November 2013 |url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/golden-birthday-for-dartford-tunnel-9011/ |access-date=30 April 2014}}</ref> and it initially served approximately 12,000 vehicles per day.{{sfn|Banister|Berechman|2003|p=65}} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Dartford Tunnel Act 1967 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to authorise the construction of a further tunnel under the river Thames between West Thurrock in the county of Essex and Dartford in the county of Kent with approaches thereto; to consolidate with amendments the Dartford Tunnel Acts, 1930 to 1962; to confer further powers in connection with the works authorised by those Acts and the new works; and for other purposes. | year = 1967 | citation = [[List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1967|1967]] c. xxxvii | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 27 July 1967 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = {{ubli|Dartford Tunnel Act 1930|Dartford Tunnel Act 1937}} | amendments = | repealing_legislation = Dartford Tunnel Act 1984 | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1967/37/pdfs/ukla_19670037_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = {{visible anchor|Dartford Tunnel Act 1984}} | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to repeal the Dartford Tunnel Act 1967 and to re-enact certain provisions of that Act with amendments; to confer further powers in connection with the works authorised by that Act and by Acts repealed by that Act; and for other purposes. | year = 1984 | citation = [[List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1984|1984]] c. xvii | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 26 July 1984 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988 | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1984/17/pdfs/ukla_19840017_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} The toll was originally two [[shilling (British coin)|shillings]] and [[sixpence (British coin)|sixpence]], equivalent to 12.5p post-[[decimalisation]], and approximately equivalent in purchasing power to £{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|0.125|1963|{{inflation/year|UK}}}}}} in {{inflation/year|UK}}.{{Inflation/fn|UK}}<ref name="moate">{{cite web |title=Dartford Tunnel Bill |last=Moate |first=Roger |date=6 February 1984 |work=[[Hansard |Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1984/feb/06/dartford-tunnel-bill-lords |access-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> The '''{{visible anchor|Dartford Tunnel Act 1967}}''' (c. xxxvii) gave a [[joint committee (UK local government)|joint committee]] of Kent and Essex county councils (the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee) the authority to increase the tolls, and in December 1977, the toll was raised from 25p to 35p for cars, 40p to 55p for two-axle goods vehicles, and 60p to 85p for HGVs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dartford Tunnel: Proposed Increase In Tolls |newspaper=London Gazette |date=16 September 1977 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47409/page/15818/data.pdf |access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> By 1984, the toll for cars had risen to 60p.<ref name="moate"/>
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