Drivers face " effectively another tax" in September as a major toll road increases fees. The Dartford Crossing will increase its charges on September 1, road users, drivers and motorists have been warned. The move sees the Dartford Crossing charge rise by up to 40 per cent from September 1. Announcing the changes, the Department for Transport and Lilian Greenwood MP, a Labour Party MP, said: "To manage demand and protect the crossing’s role as a vital component of the nation’s economic infrastructure, a user charge has been collected at the crossing since 2003. "In 2014, the tollbooths were removed to help make journeys smoother and the charge was increased to help manage increased demand. This was the last time that charges were increased for all vehicles. READ MORE Millions of pension savers could soon see key tax break stripped away under Labour "In the 11 years since, demand at the crossing has grown 7.5%, with the crossing now used by an average of over 150,000 vehicles every day and up to 180,000 vehicles on the busiest days. "These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing’s design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities." Ms Greenwood said: "To secure the effective operation of the crossing, I have, therefore, decided to increase the charges for all vehicle types that currently pay to use the crossing from 1 September 2025." But council leaders have branded the change "effectively another tax". Kent County Council's newly elected leader, Linden Kemkaran, argued that Kent residents "have no viable alternative when using this important route" and warned that the rise would be "a constraint on the local and national economy". "Our residents still remember that the toll was meant to end when the infrastructure was paid for, but changes in policy mean the charge has continued indefinitely. Effectively another tax for making journeys to work, visiting friends and family, and spending hard-earned money at local resorts and attractions," she wrote. Kemkaran says the crossing generated substantial profits yearly, with it "clearly not on the cusp of losing money". She argued that the increase would "only suppress the journeys for the very poorest in our society".