The contract to design operate and implement the Dart Charge charging system is with Sanef for up to 10 years. The total value of this could be up to £367m. However for that they cover the cost of the recovery of fees in the UK and abroad plus operating the UK operations centre (in Leeds I believe). I think the money goes back to the government.
The website for the project is here http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/dartford-crossing-remote-payment-scheme/
The third Thames River Crossing is still being considered by the government. Option 2 has been excluded as it would have gone through the proposed Paramount Park. Option 1 (another crossing at Dartford is on the table) plus option 3 and variant. Option 3 goes across Essex from a point further up the M25, crossing the Thames estuary on a bridge and goes through Higham in Kent to join the M2 at J1. A further option (3A) upgrades the A229 Bluebell Hill between the M2 J3 and M20 J6 to carry HGV’s on to the M20 to Dover as that is the official route. M2/A2 is not up to the same standard.
See https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/options-for-a-new-lower-thames-crossing

Hi Alex

I’ve also completed the survey. Check your Key mailbox as I’ve PM’d you. I have a personal and professional interest in your survey.

Regards
John

Well we are being good boys and girls tonight. 26 posts and not a single bit of speculation on causes!!
Glad you seem to be relatively OK Moggy.

In an ideal world yes it would make sense to use it rather than build a new airport. Snag is the customer airlines won’t like it at that location. They need it on the outskirts of London pref to the W/NW. That way it can benefit from shorter travelling times to other destinations in the UK. Quick links to London, HS2, M1, M40, M4 etc
To use Manston you need to connect to HS1. Even then that will not suit a lot of people who might decide to drive.
If however the decision is to move away from London and put in better infrastructure then I’d agree it would make more sense to develop Manston than Boris Island.

I can’t see the point of a major passenger airport in that location. It would only serve the SE without some major infrastructure going in to get people there. Even then it adds on time to get there if you come from outside of the SE.
As a training base and place for freight then yes. Personally I’d put a rail freight yard in there. Drop off cargo from a/c and also add on containers from HGV’s that have come across the EU and transport it across the UK without using the roads.
But as I look after some of those roads these days I would say that.

Just a few technical questions if someone wouldn’t mind.
Is ADS-B linked to the transponder? How has ADS been disabled otherwise?
What range does the ELT beacon have above and below water?
Could the ELT beacon be of the type fitted to the B787 and been disconnected prior to flight because of the fire risk or is it a no go MEL item?
Has any aircraft been known to land on water and not leave a debris trail?

Hope you all had a great day. Happy Christmas.