M25 London Orbital Motorway - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on M25 London Orbital Motorway Wikis M25 London Orbital Motorway: Wikis Advertisements Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics (Redirected to M25 motorway article) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For the M25 motorway under construction in Ireland, see N25 road . "London Orbital" redirects here. For the book of this title, see Iain Sinclair . M25 motorway E30 The M25 motorway is a 117 miles (188 km) orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London , United Kingdom. The exception is the tolled Dartford Crossing ( A282 ) which crosses the River Thames to the east of London.

The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century; a few sections were constructed in the early 1970s based on the later abandoned London Ringways and it was finally completed in 1986. It is one of the world's longest orbital roads [1] and is also one of the busiest and most congested sections of the British motorway network . It has been widened in a number of places and currently varies between 6 and 12 lanes (both directions). 196,000 vehicles were recorded in a single day near London Heathrow Airport . Plans to widen additional sections to 8 lanes (4 each way) were scaled back in 2009 in response to rising costs. [2] Contents 11 External links Description The M25 between junctions 7 ( M23 ) and 6 ( A22 ) near Reigate , Surrey . The signs are indicating a reduced speed limit of 40 mph (64 km/h) due to congestion Although originally built as a six lane motorway (three in each direction), much of the motorway has been widened to eight lanes.

There is a ten lane section between junctions 12 and 14 increasing to twelve lanes between junctions 14 and 15 (See map in Current Developments section). The M25 is not a continuous loop. To the east of London, the toll crossing of the Thames between Thurrock and Dartford is the lesser grade A282 . The Dartford Crossing , which consists of two tunnels and the QE2 (Queen Elizabeth II) bridge , is named Canterbury Way. Passage across the bridge or through the tunnels is subject to a toll, depending on the kind of vehicle. Making this stretch a motorway would stop any traffic not permitted to use motorways from crossing the Thames east of Woolwich . At junction 5 near Sevenoaks , drivers continuing around the M25 in either direction must follow the slip roads . The anticlockwise carriageway continues eastward as the M26 (towards the M20 ); the clockwise carriageway continues towards the south coast as the A21 .

The distance of the motorway from central London (taken as Charing Cross ) varies from about 12 miles (19 km) near Potters Bar to 20 miles (32 km) near Byfleet. In some places (Enfield, Hillingdon and Havering) the Greater London boundary has been realigned to the M25 for minor stretches; while in others, most notably in Essex and Surrey, it is many miles distant. Major towns such as Epsom , Watford , and Loughton are within the M25. North Ockendon is the only settlement of Greater London situated outside the M25. In 2004, following an opinion poll, a move was mooted by the London Assembly to align the Greater London boundary with the M25. [3] The three service areas are located in the central north (Junction 23 South Mimms), south east (Clacket Lane) and central east (Thurrock). A fourth, at Cobham, is due to open in 2012. [4] Much of the M25 is lit to help reduce accidents.

The current illuminated sections are from Dartford to junction 3, junctions 6 to 16, junctions 18 to 21A, and junctions 23 to 31. The type of lighting varies. Some sections use the older yellow low-pressure sodium (SOX) lighting while others use modern high-pressure sodium (SON) lighting. Some stretches have recently been upgraded to SON lighting. These include Junction 5, junctions around Heathrow and Junction 27. The motorway passes through several policing areas. Junctions 1–5 are in Kent , 6–14 in Surrey (passing in places through Greater London and Berkshire), 15–16 are in Buckinghamshire , 17–24 are in Hertfordshire , 25 in Greater London (the Hertfordshire border going around the junction's northern edge), 26–28 in Essex , 29 in Greater London and 30–31 in Essex. Policing the road is carried out by an integrated policing group made up of the Metropolitan , Thames Valley , Essex , Kent , Hertfordshire and Surrey forces.

The M25 is one of Europe's busiest motorways, with 196,000 vehicles a day recorded in 2003 between junctions 13 and 14 near London Heathrow Airport . [5] History Plans and construction Map of Ringways 3 & 4 showing sections combined to form the M25 The M25 motorway looking south between junctions 14 and 15, near Heathrow Airport . The red light from the overhead gantry, just visible in the distance, is the MIDAS system indicating a reduced speed limit due to congestion The M4/M25 motorway junction, near Heathrow Airport The M25 between junction 24 ( A111 , Potters Bar ) and 25 ( A10 , Waltham Cross & Enfield ).

The idea of an orbital road around London was first proposed early in the 20th century and was re-examined a number of times during the first half of the 20th century in plans such as Sir Charles Bressey's and Sir Edwin Lutyens' The Highway Development Survey, 1937 and Sir Patrick Abercrombie's County of London Plan , 1943 and Greater London Plan, 1944. Abercrombie's plan proposed a series of five roads encircling the capital A precursor of the M25 was the North Orbital Road (see A414 road ). In the post-war years little was done to implement Abercrombie's plans but in the 1960s the Greater London Council developed an ambitious plan for a network of ring roads around the capital. The London Ringways plan was hugely controversial due to the destruction required for the inner two ring roads and the enormous anticipated cost. The plan was modified a number of times to overcome opposition from the residents of threatened areas and the government, but was cancelled in 1973.

Parts of the two outer ring roads, Ringways 3 and 4 , were begun in 1973 and became the first two sections of the M25 to open in 1975 (junction 23 to junction 24) and 1976 (junction 6 to junction 8).The M16 motorway was the designation planned in the late 1960s and early 1970s for use on Ringway 3, a new motorway planned as part of the London Ringways Plan to run a circular route around London. Construction of the first section of the M16 began in 1973 between South Mimms and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire and opened in September 1975 with the temporary general purpose road designation A1178. During construction of the first section of the motorway, the majority of the Ringways plan was cancelled and, in 1975 the plans for Ringway 3 were modified to combine it with parts of another motorway, Ringway 4, the outermost Ringway.

The M16 designation was dropped and the combined motorway was given the designation M25 which had originally been intended for the southern and western part of Ringway 4. The section of Ringway 3 west of South Mimms anti-clockwise around London to Swanley in Kent was cancelled and the section clockwise from Potters Bar to the Dartford Tunnel was constructed between 1979 and 1982. The section of Ringway 3 south of the river between Dartford and Swanley was constructed between 1974 and 1977. Construction of the M25 continued in stages until its completion in 1986. The stages were not constructed contiguously but in small sections, such as Dartford to Swanley (junction 1 to junction 3) and Potters Bar to Enfield Town (junction 24 to junction 25). As the orbital road developed the sections were linked. Each section was presented to planning authorities in its own right and was individually justified, with almost 40 public inquiries relating to sections of the route. Maps at this time depicting these short sections named the route as the M16 but this changed before completion.

The northern sections of the M25 follow a similar route to the World War II Outer London Defence Ring . The M25 was officially opened on 29 October 1986 with a ceremony by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , who opened the section between J22 and J23 ( London Colney and South Mimms ). The initial tenders for the construction of the M25 totalled £631.9 million. This did not include compulsory purchase of land and subsequent upgrades and repairs. Operational history Soon after the motorway opened in 1986 traffic levels exceeded maximum designed capacity and in 1990 the Secretary of State for Transport announced plans to widen the whole of the M25 to four lanes.

[6] By 1993 the motorway that was designed for a maximum of 88,000 vehicles per day was carrying 200,000, [7] 15% of UK motorway traffic volume was on the M25 and there were plans to add 6 lanes to the section from Junction 12 to 15 as well widening the rest of the motorway to 4 lanes [8] In 1995 a contract was awarded to widen the section between junctions 8 and 10 from dual three to dual four lanes for at a cost of £93.4 million [9] and a Motorway Incident Detection and Automatic Signalling (MIDAS) system was introduced to the M25 from junction 10 to junction 15 at a cost of £13.5m in 1995 and then extended to junction 16 at a cost of £11.7m in 2002. This consists of a distributed network of traffic and weather sensors, speed cameras and variable-speed signs that control traffic speeds with little human supervision, but has done little to alleviate traffic problems.

[10] In 1995 there were again proposals to widen the section from close to Heathrow Airport, this time to 14 lanes, which attracted fierce opposition from road protesters opposing the Newbury Bypass and other schemes [11] and was canceled shortly afterwards. [12] However, in 1997 the Department of Transport announced new proposals to widen the section from junction 12 (M3) and junction 15 (M4) to 12 lanes. At the Terminal Five public inquiry a Highways Agency official said that the widening was needed to accommodate traffic to the proposed new terminal, however the transport minister said that no such evidence had been given. [13] Environmental groups objected to the decision to go ahead a scheme that would create the widest motorways in the UK without holding a public inquiry . [14] The decision was again deferred. A decision to go-ahead was given for a 10-lane scheme in 1998 [15] and was finally opened in 2005 with dual five lanes from junctions 12 to 14 and dual six lanes from 14 to 15.

[16] In 2007 capacity at junction 25 (A10/Waltham Cross) was increased and the Holmsdale Tunnel was widened to 3 lanes in a eastern direction at a cost of £75 million. [17] Work to widen the exit slip-roads in both directions at Junction 28 ( A12 road /A1023) was completed in 2008. It was designed to reduce the amount of traffic queueing on the slip roads at busy periods, particularly traffic from the clockwise M25 joining the northbound A12 where the queue can extend onto the inside lane of the Motorway. [18] Design, Build, Finance and Operate' (DBFO) contract In 2006 the Highways Agency proposed to widen 63 miles (101 km) of M25 from six lanes to eight lanes, between junctions 5-6 and 16-30 as part of a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) project.

[19] A shortlist of contractors was announced in October 2006 for the project which was expected to cost £4.5 billion. [20] Contractors were asked to resubmit their bids in January 2008 [21] and in June 2009 the new transport minister indicated that the cost had risen to £5.5 billion and the benefit to cost ratio had dropped considerably. [22] In January 2009 the government announced that plans to widen the sections from Junction 5-7 and from 23-27 had been 'scrapped' and that Hard shoulder running would be introduced instead. [23] In 2009 a £6.2 billion M25 'Design, Build, Finance and Operate' (DBFO) Private finance initiative contract [24] was awarded to widened the sections between junctions 16 and 23 and between junctions 27 and 30 and maintain the M25 and the Dartford Crossing for a 30 year period.

Two further sections, between Junctions 23 and 27 and between junctions 5 and 7, are included as 'options' within the DBFO contract. [25] Current developments Map showing number of lanes (current and proposed) on the M25 M25 Jct 16 to 23 Widening Works on widening the motorway between junctions 16 and 23 (M40-A1(M)) [26] started in July 2009 at an estimated cost of £580m. [27] M25 Jct 27 to 30 Widening Widening between junctions 27 to 28 (M11-A12 Brook Street) started in July 2009 [28] with the rest of the work following in 2010 and 2011.

[29] Proposed developments M25 Jct 5 to 7 Widening Plans to introduce hard shoulder running on the M25 from Junctions 5 to 7 (M26 – M23/Redhill) [30] with work starting after the London Olympics in 2013 opening in 2016. [31] M25 Jct 23 to 27 Widening Plans to introduce hard shoulder running on the M25 from Junctions 23 to 27 (A1(M)-M11) [32] with work starting after the London Olympics in 2013 opening in 2016. [33] Junction 30 improvement In 2007 as part of the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan plans were announced to increase capacity at Junction 30 (Thurrock). Following a review by the Highways Agency an announcement on the recommended scheme is expected by the end of 2008. An early estimate on the start of major works is given for 2013/2014.

[34] Lower Thames Crossing In 2009 the Department for Transport published options for a new Lower Thames Crossing to add capacity to the Dartford Crossing or create a new road and crossing linking to the M2 and M20 motorways. [35] Comparisons Other cities encircled by motorways include Manchester using the M60 motorway , Birmingham using parts of the M5 , M6 and M42 and from 2011 Glasgow will have an orbital motorway made of the M8 , M73 and M74 although one section of the route passes through the centre of the city. [36] The M25 is the second-longest ring road in Europe, after the Berlin Ring ( A 10 ) which is 5 miles (8.0 km) longer. The M25 is one of the busiest motorways in Europe:- M25 around London: 196,000 vehicles a day recorded in 2003 between junctions 13 and 14 near London Heathrow Airport , [5] .

A23 (near Vienna ): More than 200,000 vehicles on an average day.( de:Autobahn Südosttangente Wien ) A 100 (near Berlin ): 216,000 vehicles in a day was recorded in 1998( de:Bundesautobahn 100 ) A4 motorway (near Paris ): 257,000 vehicles a day recorded in 2002 ( [1] )). Popular culture Inside the Bell Common Tunnel near Epping . The M25 (including the A282 Dartford Crossing ) is known for its frequent traffic jams. These have been the subject of so much comment from such an early stage that even at the official opening ceremony Margaret Thatcher complained about "those who carp and criticise".

The jams have inspired jokes ("the world's biggest car park", "the London Orbital Car Park"), songs ( Chris Rea 's " The Road to Hell ") [37] and the following tongue-in-cheek theory: Many phenomena – wars, plagues, sudden audits – have been advanced as evidence for the hidden hand of Satan in the affairs of Man, but whenever students of demonology get together the M25 London orbital motorway is generally agreed to be among the top contenders for exhibit A. — from Good Omens , by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman . The M25 was also mentioned in the popular British sketch comedy show, A Bit of Fry and Laurie , starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie . In a sketch featuring Dominic Appleguard, the title character, played by Fry, is shown to be mentally different.

After stating, "you can always trust him with a peony and a cod", and showing Stephen Fry holding a cod over two large red peonies and rocking it in his arms like a baby, Hugh Laurie's voice over continues, "Dominic Appleguard designed the M25." The road enjoyed a more positive reputation among ravers in the late 1980s as the then new Orbital Motorway was a popular route to the parties that took place around the outskirts of London. The use of the M25 for these raves inspired the name of electronic duo Orbital . Racing M25 between junctions 7 and 6 near Reigate , Surrey . The Variable Message sign says A14 closed after A10 . The orbital nature of the motorway, in common with racetracks , lent itself to unofficial, and illegal, motor racing . At the end of the 1980s, before the advent of speed enforcement devices, owners of supercars , many employed in the financial service industry in the City and in Docklands , would meet at night at service stations such as South Mimms and conduct time trials.

Times below 1 hour were achieved; an average speed of over 117 mph (188 km/h), which included coming to a halt at the Dartford Tunnel toll payment booths. [38] [39] Junctions Data [40] from driver location signs provide carriageway identifier information. The numbers on the signs are kilometres from a point near the River Thames, east of London, when travelling clockwise on the motorway. The table below gives details of each junction, including the roads interchanged and the destinations that are signed from the motorway. Figures in kilometres are from the driver location signs; figures in miles are derived from them. M25 Motorway Dartford in United Kingdom check all the informations to travel TrotMate Informations about Dartford United Kingdom Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It occupies the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London. The town lies on the border of Kent and Greater London and is inside the M25 motorway. The town centre is in a valley through which the River Darent flows, and where the old road from London to Dover crossed: hence the name, from Darent + ford.

Dartford became a market town in medieval times and, although today it is principally a commuter town for Greater London, it has a long history of religious, industrial and cultural importance. It is an important rail hub; the main through-road now avoids the town itself. Dartford is twinned with Namyangju, South Korea. ==History== In prehistory, the first people appeared in the Dartford area around 250,000 years ago: a tribe of prehistoric hunter-gatherers whose exemplar is called Swanscombe Man. Many other archaeological investigations have revealed a good picture of occupation of the district with important finds from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. When the Romans engineered the Dover to London road (afterwards named Watling Street) it was necessary to cross the River Darent by ford, giving the settlement its name. Roman villa were built along the Darent valley, and at Noviomagus (Crayford), close by. The Saxons may have established the first settlement where Dartford now stands. Dartford manor is mentioned in the Domesday Book, written after the Norman invasion in 1086. It was owned by the king.

During the medieval period Dartford was an important waypoint for pilgrims and travellers en route to Canterbury and the Continent and various religious orders established themselves in the area. In the 12th century the Knights Templar had possession of the manor of Dartford; the National Trust property at Sutton-at-Hone, to the south of the town, is a remaining piece of that history. In the 14th century, a priory was established here, and two groups of friars — the Dominicans and the Franciscans — built hospitals here for the care of the sick. At this time the town became a small but important market town. Wat Tyler, of Peasants' Revolt fame, might well have been a local hero, although three other towns in Kent all claim the same, and there are reasons to doubt the strength of Tyler's connection to Dartford though the existence of a town centre public house named after him could give credence to Dartford's claim though Dartford cannot claim a monopoly on public houses named after Tyler.

It is possible that Dartford was a key meeting point early in the Peasants' Revolt with a detachment of Essex rebels marching south to join Kentish rebels at Dartford before accompanying them to Rochester and Cantebury in the first week of June. Although lacking a leader, Kentishmen had assembled at Dartford around 5 June through a sense of county solidarity at the mistreatment of Robert Belling a man claimed as a serf by Sir Simon Burley. Burley had abused his royal court connections to invoke the arrest of Belling and despite a compromise being proposed by bailiffs in Gravesend, continued to demand the impossible £300 of silver for Belling's release. Having left for Rochester and Canterbury on 5 June, the rebels passed back through Dartford, swollen in number, a week later on 12 June en route for London. In the 15th century, two kings of England became part of the town's history. Henry V marched through the town in November 1415 with his troops prior to fighting the French at the Battle of Agincourt; in 1422 Henry's body was taken to Holy Trinity Church by Edmund Lacey, Bishop of Exeter, who performed a funeral.

In March 1452, Richard the Duke of York camped on the Brent with ten thousand men, waiting for a confrontation with King Henry VI. The Duke surrendered to the king in Dartford. The place of the camp is marked today by York Road. The sixteenth century saw significant changes to the hitherto agricultural basis of the market in Dartford, as new industries began to take shape (see below). The priory was destroyed in 1538 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and a new manor house constructed by King Henry VIII. In 1576 Dartford Grammar School was founded, part of the Tudor emphasis on education for ordinary people. Many Protestants were executed during the reigns of Queen Mary (1553–1554) and Philip and Mary (1554–1558), including Christopher Waid, a Dartford linen-weaver who was burnt at the stake in front of thousands of spectators on the Brent in 1555. The Martyrs Memorial on East Hill commemorates Waid and other Kentish Martyrs.

===Industrial history=== The earliest industries were those connected with agriculture, such as the brewing of traditional beers and ales. Lime-burning and chalk-mining also had their place. Fulling was another: the cleansing of wool needed a great deal of water, which the river could provide. This led to other water-based industries, using hydropower to operate machinery. Sir John Spilman set up the first paper mill in England at Dartford in 1588 on a site near Powder Mill Lane, and soon some 600 employees worked there, providing an invaluable source of local employment. Iron-making on the Weald was in full operation at this time, and iron ingots were sent to Dartford, to England's first iron-slitting mill, set up by the Darent at Dartford Creek in 1595 by Godfrey Box, an immigrant from the Low Countries. In 1785, a blacksmith from Lowfield Street began to make engines, boilers and machinery. Some of that machinery was for the local gunpowder factory run by Miles Peter Andrews and the Pigou family.

In 1785, the firm of J & E Hall was set up, specialising in heavy engineering, and later refrigerating equipment, and, by 1906, vehicle production. From those beginnings in the 18th century was to come the industrial base on which the growth and prosperity of Dartford were founded. In 1840 the mustard factory of Saunders & Harrison was described as being 'perhaps the largest in the kingdom'. Dartford Paper Mills were built in 1862, when excise duty on paper was abolished. Between 1844-1939 the fabric printing works of Augustus Applegath were in being in Bullace Lane: again a firm using the waters of the river. The demand created by World War I meant that output at the local Vickers factory multiplied, with a positive effect on the local economy. Burroughs-Wellcome chemical works (later incorporated into GlaxoSmithKline) made Dartford a centre for the pharmaceutical industry. During the war, many Belgian refugees arrived in the town. Unable to accommodate them all, many people were housed with volunteers.

There has been a large power station at Littlebrook on the Thames, to the north of the town, since 1939. The current station, which features one of the tallest chimneys in the UK, dates from about 1978. The Mazda motor manufacturer has its UK head office at the large Thames-side Crossways Business Park. Thomas Walter Jennings created the iconic Vox musical brand, with original products such as the AC15 and AC30 amplifiers originating in Dartford. In early 2006, the since-closed South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) purchased the former Unwins (an off-licence chain that went into administration in 2005) depot on the edge of the town. The warehouse was demolished and a business centre, The Base built in its place. The Base will be managed by Basepoint Centres and funded by the non-departmental public body, HCA. The former GlaxoSmithKline manufacturing site in Mill Pond Road was bought by an off-shore property trust in April 2010. Essential Land has ambitious plans to construct 1,050 homes, in addition to offices, shops and restaurants.

The first phase of the £150 million development could be complete as early as 2014. ==Geography== Dartford lies within the area known as the London Basin. The low-lying marsh to the north of the town consists of London Clay, and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers - the Darent and the Cray - whose confluence is in this area. The higher land on which the town stands, and through which the narrow Darent valley runs, consists of chalk surmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel. As a human settlement, Dartford became established as a river crossing-point with the coming of the Romans; and as a focal point between two routes - that from west to east being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent; and the southerly route following the Darent valley. As a result the town's main road pattern makes the shape of letter 'T'. The Dartford Marshes to the north, and the proximity of Crayford in the London Borough of Bexley to the west, mean that the town's growth is to the south and east.

Wilmington is to all intents and purposes part of the town to the south; whilst the almost continuous Thames Gateway development means that there is little to show the town boundary in an easterly direction. Within the town boundaries there are several distinct areas: the town centre around the parish church and along the High Street; the Joyce Green area; Temple Hill estate constructed in 1927; the Brent; Fleet Downs; as well as two important areas of open space and several industrial estates. The open spaces are Central Park alongside the river; and Dartford Heath (see below). Dartford borders the London Borough of Bexley to the west, whilst the Sevenoaks District of Kent is located south of Wilmington. Other Nearby Areas * Greenhithe * Erith * Bexleyheath * Swanscombe * Swanley ===Climate=== Like most of the United Kingdom, Dartford has an oceanic climate. ===Dartford Heath=== This area to the south-west of Dartford covers some of open space. Historically it has always been of importance: prehistoric barrows and Bronze Age artefacts having been discovered here.

The first recorded cricket match took place here in 1723; and the Society of Royal Kentish Bowman were briefly established here between 1785-1802. The nearby area is still known as Bowmans. The Heath is an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It contains three ponds (Donkey Pond, Woodland Pond and North Pond) and a variety of habitats: including acid grassland, broadleaved semi-natural woodland, heather and gorse, as well as other plant life. It is common land and therefore escaped being enclosed during the late 18th and the early 19th centuries. It is also the original source for the name of the Dartford Warbler. Dartford Heath is used as a local recreation area (particularly for cyclists) and dog walking area, but suffers from being close to the local recycling centre which sometimes leaves windblown rubbish along proximal roads. [ picture]. ==Demographics== In 1801, Dartford’s population was c.2400; by the 2001 census it had increased to 85,911.

Much of this growth can be apportioned to the fact that Dartford became, for some time in its existence, an industrial town. In 2008, it was reported by the same citation that population was at 110,000, largely contributed by rising costs of living in London and becoming an attractive site for commuters. Unemployment levels, taken from the 2001 census, were at 3.8%. By 2006 this had decreased to 2.2%, but increased by 2012. ==Economy== Some of Dartford's most prominent industries suffered extreme decline in the 20th century, causing redundancies and unemployment. Brewing, paper-making, flour milling and the manufacture of cement were the main industries to suffer extinction or significant decline. Nearby Swanscombe Cement Works (now redeveloped into Bluewater shopping centre) was closed by Blue Circle in 1990. This industry had brought great prosperity to the companies involved in cement manufacture, but left a legacy locally of despoiled derelict land and pollution. In 1990 Dartford contained some of spoiled land resulting from extractive industries.

Cement-dust pollution from local cement works was a regular subject of complaint in the local press throughout the 20th century. Since the closure of Dartford's major employers: Seagers' Engineering Works, J & E Hall International, Vickers, the reduction and subsequent closure of Burroughs Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline), and the redevelopment of nearby Bexleyheath as a shopping town in the 1970s (and the more recent development of the Bluewater Shopping Centre), Dartford has lost a significant number of its rising Generation X demographic to more economically viable jobs, towns and cities. Dartford is still home to major brands such as Sainsbury's, W.H. Smiths, Boots and Marks & Spencer. With the opening of the major Bluewater regional shopping centre just outside of the town, the high street has seen a growth in cheaper brands such as Primark and Wilkinson taking over empty premises. However the oldest independent business still trading in Dartford the butchers Richardson & Sons established in 1908 still remains trading and in its original shop on Lowfield Street however this is threatened with the Lowfield centre superstore development (see below).

In 2007 Dartford saw an increase in the number of visible household brands in its environs as B&Q, M&S Simply Food, TK Maxx and Asda Living opened new outlet stores in the town centre. Before this Safeway had taken part in the development of Dartford's second shopping centre, The Orchards, located next to the Orchard Theatre. The Safeway's site was eventually taken over by Waitrose and continues to be only one of a few major brands visible in, or just off the high-street area of the town. The historical and once bustling main High Street and adjacent shopping centre, The Priory, continues to fall into a decline, and the large department store previously occupied by the Co-operative has now been demolished, having been bought by Dartford Borough Council. The problems with obtaining planning permission for the Lowfield centre superstore development and associated residential units have been compounded by the recession. This has created further delay in resolving the dereliction of the town. ==Culture and community== Dartford has two major buildings concerned with performance art. The Orchard Theatre, located in the town centre, is a fully professional theatre, providing audiences with a large range of drama, dance, music and entertainment.

The Mick Jagger Centre (built in the grounds of Dartford Grammar School) in Shepherds Lane was completed in 2000 and provides facilities for community arts across a wide region. The local museum in Market Street is housed in the same building as the library. Central Park is a formal park in the town centre. It comprises of land. ===Sport=== Dartford is the home of one football club, Dartford F.C., who play home matches at Princes Park Stadium and compete in the Conference National. Kent Invicta League club Crown Alexandra F.C. play in Dartford at the Leigh Academy Ground. The highest ranked Sunday League team from Dartford is Dartford Vipers Men's team which currently play in the Bromley & Orpington Sunday League and train at Acacia Hall in Dartford. Dartford is also home to Dartford and White Oak Triathlon Club, formed in 1988 it is one of the oldest British Triathlon Federation clubs in the UK. The Club trains at the "Bridge" Dartford. ===Health=== There are, or have been, many hospital buildings in Dartford, the majority of which have been closed since the opening of Darent Valley Hospital.

One of the best-known, Stone House Hospital, in Cotton Lane to the east of the town, was opened on 16 April 1866 as the "City of London Lunatic Asylum". It was, and still is, a large castellated structure built in spacious grounds. It remained under the direct administration of the City of London until 1948, when it was transferred to the National Health Service (NHS). It remains one of the largest and most visible structures in Dartford, and was until recently operated by the NHS to manage regional health care delivery, and was also home to a nursing school, Livingstone Hospital on East Hill. The main buildings of this facility are now closed, and have been turned into luxury flats. ==Transport== The route of a Celtic ancient trackway which the Romans later paved and identified as Iter III on the Antonine Itinerary, later to be called Watling Street, and which the current A2 roughly follows, passed close to the town. After the Romans left Britain, it fell out of use, as the town itself developed and traffic went into the town itself, the name Watling Street transferring to the new route.

The introduction of stagecoach services increased the amount of traffic through the town, so that by the 18th century it had become necessary to control the upkeep of such a heavily-used road. Turnpike Trusts were set up by Act of Parliament. Dartford was served by two: that for Watling Street; and the road south to Sevenoaks, both brought into being between 1750 and 1780. From 1925 the A2 main road took traffic away from Dartford town centre via the Princes Road bypass. Today the original main road through the town is the A226. The erstwhile turnpike road south to Sevenoaks is now the A225). A newer by-pass is the A206, which skirts the town to the north. Its prime purpose is to carry traffic from the riverside industrial developments on to the Dartford Crossing from both west and east.

Dartford is perhaps most well known for the latter, the main mode of crossing the River Thames to the east of London, where the southbound A282 (part of the London Orbital) crosses the river via the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge toll bridge, opened in 1991. The northbound carriageway crosses via the twin bore Dartford Tunnel. The first tunnel was opened in 1963, its twin in 1980. Dartford railway station is a busy junction serving three routes. The first railway from London to reach Dartford was the North Kent Line via Woolwich in 1849, connecting at Gravesend with the line through to the Medway Towns. Later two more lines were built, the Dartford Loop Line through Sidcup which opened in 1866, and the Bexleyheath Line which opened in 1895. All the lines were electrified on 6 June 1926. Dartford is served by three Transport for London bus services that connect the town with South East London.

The buses are the 96 to Bluewater and Woolwich via Bexleyheath, 428 to Bluewater and Erith via Crayford and 492 to Bluewater and Sidcup via Bexleyheath. There are also a vast amount of Kent buses that connect Dartford with places including Swanley, Orpington and Gravesend. Fastrack express bus system connects the Kent Thameside area, and was completed by early 2008. ==Education== Dartford houses several secondary schools, which largely operate within the county council-run grammar school system: *Dartford Grammar School *Dartford Grammar School for Girls *Wilmington Grammar School for Boys *The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington *Wilmington Academy *Dartford Technology College *Leigh Technology Academy *North West Kent College ==Places of worship== The Parish Church, Holy Trinity, is situated on the western bank of the River Darent, from where a hermit would conduct travellers across the ford. The church was originally a 9th-century Saxon structure, but gained later Norman additions. In the 13th century a Royal Wedding was celebrated there, thus today the choristers are entitled to wear scarlet cassocks.

Also on display within the church is a brass plaque commemorating the work of Richard Trevithick, the pioneer of steam propulsion, who lived, worked and died in the town. The graveyard is situated in St Edmund's Pleasance on the summit of East Hill (the place Richard Trevithick is buried), which gave rise to a traditional and derogatory rhyme of Dartford's people 'Dirty Dartford, Stinking People, bury their dead above the steeple'. The church actually has no steeple; it has a tower featuring a ring of eight bells. ==Notable people== The following have, or had, some connection with Dartford: *Keith Richards (1943- ), guitarist of The Rolling Stones *Mick Jagger (1943- ), vocalist of The Rolling Stones *Anne of Cleves (1515–1557), fourth wife of Henry VIII, who lived in Dartford after their divorce *Peter Blake (1932- ), pop artist.

*Steve Rider (1950-), BBC Sports Presenter 1985-2005, currently with BskyB *Ivor Gurney (1890–1937), composer and poet *Henry Havelock (1795–1857), British general *Barry Hawkins (1979- ), Professional Snooker Player *Dave Charnley (1935–2012), undefeated British Lightweight Champion (1957–63) *Henry Ambrose Hunt (1866–1946), meteorologist *Sidney Keyes (1922–1943), war poet *John Latham (1743–1837), ornithologist *Martina Bergman-Österberg (1849–1915), physical education pioneer and founder of Dartford College *Alfred Sturge (1816–1901), Pastor and missionary *Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013), British Prime Minister, ran for the Dartford parliamentary seat in 1950 and 1951 *Richard Trevith

ick (1771–1833), inventor and mining engineer *Pete Tong (1960- ), legendary UK house DJ.

*William James Erasmus Wilson (1809–1884), surgeon *Malcolm Allison (1927–2010), football player and manager *Andrea Arnold (1968- ), film director 2004 Oscar winner and 2007 BAFTA winner *Graham Dilley (1959–2011 ), Kent and England cricketer *Topsy Ojo (1985- ), London Irish and England rugby union full-back, attended Dartford Grammar School *Min Patel (1970- ), Kent and England cricketer *Paul Samson (1953–2002), rock guitarist *Phil May (born 9 November 1944) rock vocalist and founding member of The Pretty Things *Malcolm Wakeford, musician, composer *Len Goodman, dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge *Mackenzie Crook (1971- ) Actor *Terry Hollands (1979- ) Britain's Strongest Man (2007) *George Barton (1808-1864), cricketer for Sussex *Dick Taylor (born 28 January 

1943) guitarist and founding member of The Pretty Things ==International links== ===Twin towns=== * Hanau, Germany (Hesse) * Capelle, the Netherlands since 1989 * Tallinn, Estonia since 1992 * Rheinfelden, Switzerland (Switzerland) * Reims, France ===Associated towns=== * Gravelines, France since 1992 ==See also== *Dartford Cable Tunnel ==References== ==Bibliography== *Kent History Illustrated - Frank W Jessup (KCC, 1966) *Railways of the Southern Region - Geoffrey Body (PSL Field Guide 1989) * [~mchatwin/localhst.htm Local History] - Mark Chatwin (1997) ==External links== *[ The Dartford town archive] *[~genmaps/genfiles/COU_files/ENG/KEN/barlow-hastead_little-etc_1800.html Two maps of the area c.1800] * Category:Dartford (borough) Category:Towns in Kent Category:Market towns in Kent Category:Port of London Category:Post towns in the DA postcode area Category:Populated Places

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(Thomas Telford Ltd) 2556636. VAT Reg. No: 240877747 Registered charity number 210252 Articles about River Thames - tribunedigital-chicagotribune Crossing over Britain's River Thames closed in security incident Reuters | September 6, 2013 LONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Police shut a major road bridge crossing the River Thames near London on Friday after arresting a man acting "unusually" and locating a suspicious item. Kent Police said they had been called to the Dartford Crossing, which carries traffic on the M25 London orbital motorway to the east of the British capital, after reports a pedestrian was behaving strangely. "The male has been arrested. Officers have located a ... NEWS Oxford demolish Cambridge to win boat race in style Reuters | April 6, 2014 LONDON (Reuters) - Oxford emphatically demolished Cambridge by 11 lengths to win their fifth University Boat Race in seven years against their old rivals on Sunday.

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Question: British orbital motorway featuring the Dartford Crossing is the M-what?
Answer: 25