CHARGES for the Dartford Crossing were suspended for the second time today.

From 3.05pm, the Highways Agency has temporarily suspended charges southbound on the Crossing until further notice as a result of the congestion in the area.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "The decision was made at 3.05pm today to help ease the particularly severe congestion which has built up as a result of work taking place to introduce Dart Charge and also to reduce the risk of minor collisions in queuing traffic.

"We are doing all we possibly can to help keep traffic moving"

The charges were reinstated at 6.55pm today.

The charges also suspended earlier today, between 9.55am and 12.47pm, when congestion at the crossing reached the same level.

Charges were lifted for nearly three hours as motorists faced long queues.

The works come ahead of the Dart Charge system going live at 6am on Sunday.

Motorists will no longer pay for the Dartford Crossing at its toll booths instead they will have to pay for the crossing before or after they have used it.

Camera installed above the exit to the bridge and entrance to the tunnel will check if motorists have paid the fee.

The Crossing will be closed overnight tonight and Sunday as bosses prepare for free-flow tolling.

Tonight, the Essex-bound tunnels will be closed and on Sunday night the QEII bridge will be fully closed, with signed diversions in place via the Blackwall Tunnel.

The crossing will be closed, between junction 2 (for the A2) and junction 31 (for the A1306), to Essex bound traffic between 11.30pm on Saturday and 6am Sunday.

It will then be closed to Kent bound traffic between 11.30pm on Sunday and 5.30am Monday.

A diversion route will be in place via the A2, A102 Blackwall Tunnel and A13.

The Blackwall tunnel has a height restriction of 4m northbound, 4.7m southbound and is classed as ‘ADR Category E’ for hazardous goods.

Any vehicles above these height restrictions or carrying dangerous goods will be diverted via the M25.