I look forward to your reply as soon as possible. Unofficial siteswill simply take your money, pocket the admin charge and pay the outstanding toll on the public Dart Charge site regardless of vehicle details. Where Dart Charge accepted payment, and the result was an unpaid crossing for which it was intended, they are not entitled to hold that on account of a future crossing. This demonstrates a fundamental flaw in your accounting system. As a foreigner who occasionally visits the UK i wasnt even aware of the new toll system until i was coincidentally tipped off right before my next visit. Messed up as I have either a zero or the letter O (even as I type this, I cant remember which) and got it wrong had to retype it the next page just hung there started again, got payment details in etc etc and paid at 4 minutes past midnight, as stated on the receipt! Youll find information on how to appeal to the adjudicator in the rejection letter. Also please consider that the 14 day deadline for should commence on the date of the re-issue, if indeed it has already been issued. I can not understand how or why I should be liable for this mistake when I paid the amount requested online. Else good bye 1050. Our team fact-checks content to ensure accuracy at the time of writing. They check the picture and accept the mistake immediately, blame the computer recognition system and say they will take steps to avoid repetition and then a few weeks later another PCN, and another set of costs for me to challenge them. I believe this dartford toll system is just a huge government sanctioned extortion scam. We are running at optimum capacity. The whole world out scam each other and the UK Government back it. The lack of transparency on fines and the timing of payment is designed to maximise revenue. It is owned by a French company so everyone beware or simply drive round the other-side of the M25 where possible. This is the second time Ive gone through it, but I paid on my first journey many months ago . Fees may be payable depending on your final choice of financial product. The additional 14-day period will help most drivers escape fines of up to 210 for a return trip, but please remember, this applies only to the first charge issued to any single vehicle. I spoke to someone at the accounts department who did confirm that Id paid but I would still have to go through the standard appeals process What a complete waste of time Luckily I had kept the receipt & it was also confirmed in my bank statement. To show how easy this is, a fake site has already been built by digital marketing expert Richard Summers. SO if I were you pay the 2.50 and appeal saying you didn't fully understand the process. , but my credit card has been debited. This is a new service your The most significant complaint motorists have made was they made the correct payment only to get a Dart penalty charge a few weeks later. If it is 2.50, then let it be 2.50, how can an overnight or next day midnight turn to several hundreds of pounds, what happened to the road overnight. But I have always paid for a one-off crossing online. You sign up and it automatically pays the toll then sends you an invoice. Hold on to your crossing reference number once you make your one-off payment. Lease co have forwarded 2 x penalty fines. At least waste as much of their time as possible with phone calls and letters, after all they are wasting your time. Try this, AndroidGeobells Location ReminderAlert yourself when you reach or pass a certain location.Get it here. The system is not logical and has many gaps. Please take a few seconds to take this poll and tell us how youd improve the new charging system.. I didnt open an account just made a one-off payment. However I did pay for the crossing I had made (and for the return crossing I intend to make) within the so called grace period of 14 days which I only found out about on your site. I think I have been reasonable but at 2-3 per phone call the costs to me continue to build up, not to mention the distress I feel each time a new PCN arrives through my letter box. please help me, this is just not good enough if i am charged anymore i will be taking this further, im not sure if i owe 2.50 or 5.00, this is unexceptionable.. Hi Caroline Just to make it clear we dont run the crossing, this page is designed to help drivers get the information they need to avoid fines. 2) Went to the local shop which had a Dart pay zone machine as per the website Not working . My daughter has my car, drove down south to visit a friend on 3rd July, and on 5th July crossed the Dart, only for me to get a PCN issued 23/10 almost 4 months later. Are you deliberately trying to deter motorists from using this crossing? If you pay for your Dartford Crossing online, you should check your bank account to ensure you werent charged twice. An Example: Suppose you received a 60 PCN parking fine. Hi, I had exactly the same experience about 2 days ago.. Find your local Trading Standards office here. Hi, please can you tell me where the signs were located in July of last year? Sams also sent a threatening note that demanded 140,000 in cash, to be delivered by a female police officer, or Julie would "never be seen again". I believe its wisely to pay 20 per year for unlimited crossings, rather than spending gallons of fuel going some other routs. MoneyNerd Limiteds FCA Firm Reference Number is: 978681, You can check these details onhttps://register.fca.org.uk/s/. Advised them i had already done this and sent proff of payment made on the 8th of Feb. What do I do now? I frankly cant be bothered with using the crossing again even if I do succeed in appealing, its about the same length of journey round the M25 if I go north or south, and I cant for one second believe the toll booths were removed to alleviate congestion considering everyone still has to pay the 2.50 charge, plus a huge number of people a lot being occasional users must be getting fined for getting it wrong. We subsequently received two penalty charges. I then boarded a ferry which had such inadequate WiFi that I was unable to search online. In total, 37,751 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were challenged and 30,521 of those were accepted by Highways England. Would you be willing to share more details about it? This whole online paying system just feels so criminal and just aimed at catching people out. It seems the recognition SW cannot easily distinguish 1 and I on some number plates. The vehicle is electronically registered on the Motorway, and you have to pay within 5 or 6 weeks time on the website. It might be worth the 2.50 gamble on paying or phone them and explain the situation. You can then do the same for your home address to cover the homeward trip. Motorists who use the crossing have a legal obligation to pay the road user charge, and Dart Charge likewise have a duty to accept it. Its my responsibility. Hi, As you should have received a 14-day period to pay the original toll from when the letter arrived. If you want to take the matter to an independent adjudication, you must show that: There are other compelling reasons for challenging a Dart penalty charge. Surely there is a time limit to issuing???? The long and short of this is, however, that the system signage is not fit for purpose. Maybe you forgot to pay or deliberately didnt pay the toll. Hi Thanks for your post. Now being told that the 2.50 is being held as a credit. My bank statement shows that I did pay. If you dont pay, they send you a Toll Payment Notice, which costs you 5 NZD. Dont know if it is worth paying for it online? Its a bit sneaky, but the last time I had a fine, I paid 5 for a trial of an online solicitor called JustAnswer. not paying the Dartford Crossing, London congestion or low emissions zone charge on time There are different ways to appeal in Scotland and Northern Ireland. But its separate from any Dartford Crossing-related matter. If you fail to pay them, they add a little on but nowhere near as much as the Crossing. Having now read up on line it seems would shouldnt have been so honest and hasty in paying. I paid 2.50 for the 05/09/15 then called customer services to ensure that i do not have anything further to pay. Fixed penalty notices are issued by the police, your local council or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Might be worth looking over bank statements again for the 5. I have just written to them and I was wondering if you have received some sort of reply from them? When we get before an audience, we throw most of our natural methods of expression to the wind, and strive after artificial effects. If youre driving to one the South Easts major airports such as Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted theres a good chance youll need to use the Dartford Crossing and its new charging system. You can only pay in advance and must send your cheques to: Dart Charge Customer ServicesPO Box 842Leeds LS1 9QF, Help improve the Crossing experience: image credit. How should I proceed ? I dont have any problem paying the toll charge itself. My advice? Were all being hit by rubbish signage. Hi Not sure if my last reply worked, but go here for info and a link to the appeal page. Stephanie Slater was working at Shipways estate agency in Great Barr when she was kidnapped and held for ransom by Michael Sams in January 1992. I dont hate much in life, but the Dartford toll system is something I really hate. If you are currently exempt from paying the charge, that will still be the case. You should have a barrier so that you could swipe a card or give people 7 days to pay. My wife forgot to pay the charge until a day after the midnight deadline its her second time. How can we complain? Certain types of finance are not regulated, such as bridging loans. I called the number to pay but was told I couldnt pay beyond 24 hours, so I would be receiving a PCN. Had exactly the same problem phoned and was told it was not possible to pay after midnight on the day after the crossing. As somebody else has commented, the whole system seems designed to trick you into having to pay an extortionate charge. So sometime in January 2020, a PCN would have been sent to the address on the V5C. Lets just hope the Dart scheme is found to be illegal like the York Lendal Bridge was but of course that just means the Council will have to pay a fortune to refund all the illegally-taken fines, which means the local council-tax payers will have to make up for this idiotic scheme. Since its inception, motorists have complained of being charged twice for a single crossing. Until the 31st of March 2016!!! Choose this template Start by clicking on "Fill out the template" 2. these people are thieves..basically charged for forgetting to pay a couple of pounds,do they really think people are trying to get away with paying a couple of pounds so they instead be hit with a crazy expensive fineas I said thieves. Yes its not made to be easy. This is initially a 70 fine, reduced to 35 if paid within 14 days. In the first month alone, potential fines amounted to 21 million. Its fine if you have permission from the owner. No prices, no method of payment, no official guidance. No way round this. That one sentence could have saved me the suffering and stress and shock. Hi, Ive just paid for my crossing twice for Sunday 19th April 2015, will I get penalised for this absent mindedness? i.e. The UK is a lovely place but the governments are supporting the extortionists every which way you look. Thats why the first penalty charge notice issued for any vehicle will offer the driver an extra 14 days to pay the charge. Now I just have sent an appeal to the EPCPLC and also to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal MoneyNerd is not associated with MoneyHelper, we just think theyre great. My wife made a return trip with our boys 8 days ago and when I asked her if she had subsequently paid she said Oh ****, no, I forgot! And now Im getting penalty straight away? I cant think how many 1st timers are caught out by this scam, leaving the dartcharge company thousands of pounds in credit when drivers do not intend to use the crossing again like myself. Apart from that, I believe from these notes that there should be 14 day grace period to pay the original fee but therte is no mention of this option on either demand. However, I suddenly remembered to pay tonight at 11.59 quickly found the website which I have never had to use before, started putting in my info. Britain wake up to reality! Hi you should be ok on at least one crossing (under the first offence ruling), but you may get a fine for the return. To top it all : unfair and confusing penalty system. Once you receive the PCN, head to the gov.uk website [1] where you will be required to enter the Penalty Charge Notice number and your vehicle registration number. The window for payment contained in the Regulations is very short, and motorists can often have perfectly understandable reasons for paying late often, as in this case, by using the crossing in order to embark on a longer journey, during which payment may be understandably difficult. when I passed there, coming from the North, I remember we found the tollbooths open, Leeds DC- It should arrive within 2 weeks. Couldnt they have left 1 booth open for all those drivers who dont waste half their life figuring out how to pay ridiculous toll charges in their chosen holiday destination? So, all of those people who worked in the booths are no longer needed, but the price has gone up by 150%! Did not pay on our 1st crossing. I paid 5.00 online immediately using my phone. Now we pay a 367million contract with Sanef to design and deliver the new free flow system which does not work, and yes on Sunday there was a traffic jam due to road works on the Dartford crossing Something is very wrong here. Plus, it provides information on the time and date of the crossing. A couple of days later I suddenly remembered, I went straight online and paid the toll charge. We did manage to pay the following day (with difficulty) on my husbands phone, but we almost forgot, and I dont use a mobile, so if I had been on my own I would have been completely stuck and unable to pay. I am extremely upset as I thought it was all sorted back in January, I cannot understand how they can fine me this amount 12 months after my crossing. so AFTER 21 DAY from the date written on the notification 19 Dec 2015 !!! I remembered to pay at 2 minutes past midnight Aaagh! Used crossing on Sat 27th Feb & again Sun 28th Feb. Since I was calling from SPAIN, yes SPAIN, at whatever extortionate amount my provider was charging, the call was probably more than the crossing. I would appreciate your help. I later received a penalty letter. Dont expect to get away with fines because the car is registered abroad, either, pan-European collection agents will chase you. No just use the Payzone finder and make your payment. We charged an admin fee each time. Otherwise there should be a lane for optional on-the-spot payment, with clear signage, including the amount of the fee! It is a fact that, given the effort I made to try and pay the toll, the PCN is being issued because I did not have internet access, not because I was unwilling to make the effort to pay. Now there is no way for me to avoid the penalty! Surely, they cant accept the payment and still issue a fine? This will give you plenty of time to pay before you fly. The reason? 1. I have not heard this policy is changing. If you don't want to complain online, you can do it by phone or letter. Otherwise, you dont have any proof of payment if things go wrong and you get a Dart Charge penalty charge notice. The 14-day grace period is also referenced on the Gov.uk website, so can certainly be taken as official see quote taken from page below. Well why cant we have 14days to pay . In April whilst in the UK, there were horrendous delays going through the tunnel due to road works and improvements I drove through the tunnel, but was not stopped at any barriers. I made a return crossing on Tuesday 2nd June, using a hire car, on a business trip for the company I work for. Licence Median Terms. do not use the form above read the guidance on how to make a FOI request email your request to info@nationalhighways.co.uk Dart Charge Contact Centre Phone: 0300 300 0120 From outside the UK:. Hi Jo According to the rules, you should be fine as the 14-day grace period should cover you providing it was in your own car as hire cars seem to be throwing up a few issues witht the 14-day rule. I passed over, thinking of that. I would try now and wait and see. Note, things do change and sometimes we do miss things (were only human! The Notice says, you have to pay a penalty of 70 Pounds, but if you pay within 14 days, you only have to pay a reduced penalty of 35 Pounds. This is not fair! I wanted to pay today but it transpires that I will have to wait until Penalty Charge Notice is received by car hire company who will then give dartford my address (at a cost of 42 admin fee). They told me that there was actually another fine outstanding for another journey that they hadnt issued yet but if I paid them the original fees over the phone, the matter would be cleared up. What do you think, how flexible are they if I still pay today (1 day delay) will i still be issued a penalty charge? The amount due will be 70, but discounted to 35 provided payment is made within a strict period of 14 days from service of the PCN. Certainly worth a go. An informal challenge. As per their letter the fine is cancelled. I would like to pay today. Surely as a statutory body they have a duty to act fairly and it seems grossly unfair to have such a tight deadline. I called Dart Charge and pleaded for leniency but of course was told my only option was to make a representation (2 representations, actually). I think this is an absolute disgrace! In the last year, I have paid over 600 for the cost of a 5.00 return journey in my car which I thought I had initially paid via mobile. We had money in hand ready to pay at booth but saw no booths or barriers so assumed toll had been dropped. I have received NO communication until this, and the letter states I didnt pay the first charge on the first letter they sent to me a letter I didnt receive. On reading I can see if you dont pay you get a notice, Is there anyway I can find out if I was fined and how long will it be before I get a notice? I hope that i do not receive a penalty. the crossing took just as long as before with the toll booths, You say that Get an extra 14 days to pay however, first-time offenders will be given a 14-day grace period when the charge notice is sent out. why cant they give us information when required. Im a UK citizen and Im looking to leave the country driven out by my own governments practices. Motorists are using the system to dodge dart penalty charges theyre sent. My son phoned after he got a letter after using the crossing in March only got the PCN 3 weeks ago so he phoned and paid he now has a letter demanding 105 for non-payment, he phoned again and was told they can do nothing about it and he will have to appeal. I would pay now and there is a chance youll be okay. also people should be able to pay by post after crossing. Set an identical reminder for your homebound trip using your home postcode7. Remember to set it when you book your parking with APH.com, 1. With a freedom of information request confirming more than 80% of appeals were accepted by Highways England in the first six months of the new system, its clear problems go far beyond mis-reading number plates. I live in Scotland and very rarely drive to London. -yes 37.50 please. Someone is laughing. They told me this is often the case . Were my receipt clearly shows a payment of 5.00 was made and confirmed by my credit card statement , He couldnt do anything about it accept advise my to appeal in writing and to include copies of all my evidence receipt, credit card statement. We forgot to pay and a letter was sent, fine. However, its not just the misreading of number plates that causes the problem. Register a Dart Charge account: This will simply take cash from your account for crossings you make without the need to log on and make individual payments. I have received 3 fines for one day in June but I have never used the Dartford crossing. Hugh. So i registered for an account at the website and deposited some money via creditcard(no other payment methods, how convenient), so far so good. I very reluctantly paid the 600 fines which meant we literally didnt eat for a few days and since then I go out of my way to drive around the toll via the Blackwall tunnel. On the 17th I checked on line and found I had paid 5 but been charged only 2.50 for a single crossing. The driver of the vehicle went over the Dartford crossing without being aware of the dart charge. On the crossing there is nothing! Is there anyway you can type in the reg number and it tells you if you missed a payment ect? REASONS TO APPEAL A PARKING TICKET Local authorities and private parking operators rarely do anything right or by the book. just had the same happen to me i am fuming. This is the cheapest way to pay, with registered cars costing 2 per crossing compared with the new price of 2.50 for those who pay in other ways.Set up a new pre-pay account here Change an existing Dart Tag account. Enter postcode of the tunnel or your destination where you can pay. The idea being that you pay the Congestion zone charge which you dont use and then get a fine for the unpaid crossing charge. How can the burial of a mother and a 2.50 fee be weighted. Dont get scammed: Just like services such as buying road tax and applying for passports, the new Dart Charge payment system as it is officially known is likely to be targeted by scammers with copycat websites. You should certainly have a chat with the hire firm and find out their policy. Our car is congestion charge exempt but I see no evidence on the gov.uk website that its exempt from Dart Charge. Trading address: The Grange, Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HA. Surely there must be a limit as there would be for a speeding fine by the police. We the coin. The signs, as you say, arent a lot of help for occasional users or visitors from overseas. I got the penalty but the problem is that is already second letter with 105 fine. Did you get anywhere with this as i am in the exact same situation. Another confusing element is the use of Londons Congestion Charge logo- the C in a red circle. Im also very annoyed with, given all the revenue that this system is making the proprietors of the bridge, why cant an automated email be sent to vehicle owners that are registered with Dart Charge? Also people should be able to pay by post after the crossing made. The crossing fee will be added to the Penalty Charge Notice. I was issued the charge and a 35 fine but it gave me 14 days grace to pay the charge where I wouldnt have to pay the fine. I live in the North and only use the crossing once a year to go to the Channel tunnel for a holiday. As this is my first offence I think I am fine and wont get a PCN (as I did pay within the 14 days grace period.) That sounds horrific can you send the full story? I used crossing forward and back on 21st of September but was able to pay only the next day morning. This can be found on the first page of the penalty charge notice you received in the post, it starts with the letters 'IA', 'IB' or 'IK'. Under my ownership, the . (!?) But when the government itself acts like this .!!!. They will not deal with you either by email or phone snail mail is the only communication In this day & age I despair!!!! Drawing upon the collective expertise of our team, we possess an in-depth understanding of the financial industry and are dedicated to delivering accessible and practical information to those who need it the most.