According to the chap on the phone the process of escalation is halted when you make a representation so the most Ill have to pay is 250 for both crossings even if its rejected but its a hell of a lot of money for a young family! The first time, when I called the Dart Charge number, it was waived as a first offence. The second time, I forgot again but woke up in the middle of the next night remembering I hadnt paid. On 9 Jan 2016 I received by mail a notification from EPCPLC, dated 19 Dec 2015 The vehicle is electronically registered on the Motorway, and you have to pay within 5 or 6 weeks time on the website. Editor, Marcus Herbert. Just remember this is not a customer service line, and if you take your frustration with the website out on them, they will hang up on you. What computer are they using on the system, A sinclair spectrum . Your system is so flawed that it requires first time users to experience a completely unreasonable amount of time, effort and stress to let us remind ourselves pay a bridge toll. If so, you should be fine for both trips. However, we recognise that dart Charge is a big change for drivers, so we are doing everything we can to help people understand the changes and avoid penalties. 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. Ive replayed on the form giving details but this was rejected. However, a warning to you. I haven received my PCN yet and i just went on-line and paid 5 as it was a return journey. (8) If there is a massive traffic hold up we would be advised to use the anti- clockwise direction so wouldnt use the crossing anyway. when i contacted Dartford call centre and explained they said i owed them money however I have receipts showing that Dartford owes me money, was ment to get a call back but still waiting one week later. I now had to wait 56 days to receive their response. Came back from Cornwall this saturday, had a nightmare 10 hour journey. This system even by government standards is pathetic. Is this a tax on the english again. The time given for payment is way too short and the fines are out of all proportion. The long and short of this is, however, that the system signage is not fit for purpose. The whole world out scam each other and the UK Government back it. I think this is v unfair and I will put in a complaint. So it appears that you have to pay twice for the same crossing. How can the burial of a mother and a 2.50 fee be weighted. There is no logic only the fact that they will fool some people into paying the fine like my wife almost did before I checked the letter. Webpay or set up an account by phoning the Dart Charge contact centre Dart Charge Contact Centre Telephone: 01202 853806 Textphone: 18001 0300 300 0120 Everyday, 8am to Anyway, Ill be paying, just a case of how much. Nobody seriously tries to get away without paying the small toll fee and would pay it were they reminded that theyd forgotten on a certain occasion (maybe even a little extra for the inconvenience). Reading these comments I am now worried I will receive a load of penalty notices in five months time demanding vast sums of money. On returning home today, I have immediately paid for several crossings but there is no way to contact them to let them know that I just couldnt pay for the outward crossing travelling towards Dover as I had no internet access for the following three days and had no idea that the payment booths had disappeared. Paying late, or failure to pay the charge, will result in a fine known as a Penalty Charge Notice. Phone them on their number 0300 3000120 and pay the original fee. It seems that my payment doesnt count towards the crossing and just sits in an account..and unbeknown to me I was expected to pay AGAIN when the first letter arrived and had 14 days grace. This is the third time this month that we are caught in your ineffective and time consuming communication system. I crossed a few weeks backI havent had any penalty notice, can i try and find out if its been lost in the post or ?? This is then used to pay for crossings, but occasional users will have dead money left in the account. I called them, explained the situation. We therefore also extend this offer of cancelling the penalty charges for these crossings, provided that all outstanding charges What a screw-up! Used crossing on Sat 27th Feb & again Sun 28th Feb. feedback Dartford Crossing payment and Dart Charge guide | Carbuyer I driven through Dartford crossing on Saturday & driven back again on Sunday but felts so ill when I got back home so I went to bed as soon as I got in. I am happy to admit I forgot to pay (its a first offence) but by the time I got a PCN the fine had risen to 107.50 each way :(. I got the penalty but the problem is that is already second letter with 105 fine. I informed them that their computer system had told me what to pay (5.00 return) and that I had paid it. 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? This starts from when the notice arrives. I got pipped by cars behind me who obviously werent paying either so I carried on. It seems ridiculous you can be fining people nearly 5 months after the offence. You can get a 70 fine if you do not pay the charge. Was a case of 'I'll do it later'. This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances and remember we focus on rates not service. RL. we are a small hire company in Lancashire. Its not a big problem but nobody knows how to solve itbrilliantI want to pay the fine but when I dont receive my PCN, how could I? The one time I travel over the crossing in May I see no signs about paying a toll and now my friend whose address I use for my UK car emails me to say I have a fine! Get an extra 14 days to pay:Nearly 3.5million motorists have failed to pay the Dartford Crossing toll since the new system was introduced, however, first-time offenders will be given a 14-day grace period when the charge notice is sent out. I called them and appealed but appeal was rejected and they said my payment will be held it on account of future crossings. To help us deal with your enquiry more efficiently, please provide your vehicle registration number and Dart Charge account number. TLDR: Forgot To Pay The Dart Charge The Dart Charge applies during the times of 6am to 10pm. The thing that annoys me is that we did set up a Dart Charge account online and one that would top up automatically when it got below 10. We charged an admin fee each time. Your customer service representative told me that the PCN system is automated and that I should therefore have received it already. Pay penalty charge - Dart Charge - GOV.UK Just returned home from our 85 day France and Spain tour to discover that I owe Dart Charge 107.50. Its not the extra 3 that they asked for, its the principle of the fact that it was their computer system that told me what to pay. Whenever we had a temporary hired van as a fleet replacement, simply moved the Tag to the temporary vehicle. 3) I have been abroad for the last 12 years and just returned to London I am sure the crossing was free on Sunday before, why has this changed ? The amount of time and distress is good grounds, I would imagine. Do note, while we always aim to give you accurate product info at the point of publication, unfortunately price and terms of products and deals can always be changed by the provider afterwards, so double check first. before completing the form below. Hi, I crossed the bridge at around 5pm on Monday 5th Oct. I had my money ready to pay as Ive done before but no barriers. If there was a way of auto generating a reminder that would be a great help. I travelled from Brussels to Norwich. Forgot to pay Dart Charge, how long for a letter? : Best regards, Hi Trevor, I would certainly pay try to pay for all the crossings making sure you keep proof of payment. Give me the hi viz collectors any day of the week. Dart Charge one off payment Its worth calling dart charge, they answer the phone No way round this. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, St John's Offices, Albion Street, Leeds, United Kingdom, LS2 8LQ, Registered in England and Wales, No 08703645. i then used it on the 8th of Feb 2015. I rented a car in april at Luton airport for few days of tourism in south of England. Im getting very annoyed as it is proving impossible to prepay for a crossing..Terry. Signs need improving, the C for congestion charge needs to be removed, the silly name needs to be replaced with the recognisable word toll and the deadline for payment needs to be significantly longer. If so what was the ruling? Launched in November 2021, the Heathrow drop off fee is a 5 charge that applies to all drivers entering drop-off zones at all Heathrow terminals. Ok thanks guys, Ill give that a try. this is so bad as no time is given whatsoever, now I will have to pay for the penalty despite already spending 5. On 4th July 2015, because my failed arrangements to take me to Standstead Airport I drove my car (approx 2-30pm) I am still on holiday in Spain, I travel back late on Saturday 18th 2015 July. I was away 1/2 weeks ago, should I pay now or await the letter, saying car not found on system? Its my first time. If this happens, have I got any hope if fighting it, as this has made me feel like a criminal, when I am a hard working business owner. Yes the chances are you will be as long as it was the first time youve forgotten to pay while driving that particular vehicle. I had no idea. While his Dartfordcrossingtoll site is not asking for money, its likely that some wont be for built with such innocent intentions. Surely as a statutory body they have a duty to act fairly and it seems grossly unfair to have such a tight deadline and to refuse to accept payment before the fine has been issued. Sufficient evidence that the vehicle was in a different location at the time of the fine. Im a second-time offender, having simply forgotten to pay the charge on two separate occasions. Do I get 14 days notice to pay the forgotten toll payment or is there a LATE PAYMENT FINE already charged against me. What I cannot understand is why people are not standing up for themselves, when there are many points of incompetence and indeed it is an unjust enrichment, for what service are they truly providing? Surely there must be a limit as there would be for a speeding fine by the police. Hi Thanks for your post. Was this the first time you have forgotten to pay? I think it was a mistake removing the barrier as they know people will forget and they will make more money. this is an unfair practice. What should I do? At least on the M6 toll road you are given the opportunity to see prices and if you dont agree, an access road off. Pay online or by phone, post or at retail outlets. Pay in advance for a one-off crossing: If you only use the crossing occasionally, for trips to the airport etc, then paying a minimum of 10.00 into an account is not a good use of your money. I have just returned from travelling in the UK in my car. Summers was infuriated by roadside signs sending drivers online to search services such as Google for the payment website opening up the potential for scammers to take advantage of confusion over the correct website address. I have tried to pay now but the DVLA site thinks my Ford is a Nissan. After speaking to a friend they said that I would probably get a PCN in the post as I should have paid it before midnight on the Sunday and that I have probably lost the 5 I paid too. In any case, notwithstanding the fact that the PCN has not been delivered, and the concerns I have about that, I am extremely unhappy that the situation has arisen at all. Drivers using the Dartford Crossing need to pay the Dart Charge in advance or by midnight the day after crossing. Last year I went through but forgot to pay within the 24hr period. we saw the big C and a time underneath but there was not signage saying anything about payment. One of these is that you are the owner of the vehicle. UK has often been known for its lack of customer service for the government to promote it through such a scheme is unbelievable. It says I can appeal this decision to an independent tribunal but I fear the worst and it was lapse into another larger fine. Like many here I havent used the Dartford crossing for some time, so when I used it a week last Sunday we had change ready and were constantly looking for signs displaying the various charges, but didnt see any. Set up a pre-pay account: This will need to be done in advance and will require you to pay in at least 10.00 when you register. Now I received another letter from Dart_crossing that they have not received any payment of my last four crossing. I received two PCNs for a journey (one going out and one coming back). lick on the underlined words Making a Representation Ho gi pagato e posseggo la ricevuta che conserver visto che non mi fido. Just set up a payg account too for the future. And yet they penalise us if we are unable to be on line. Your email address will not be published. Surely common sense would be to apply the payment to the only crossing we have ever made.ie the one they are fining us for not paying. This is no longer the case. 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. Can I pay the toll charge when I get home (Sunday 19th July). If you forget to pay the Dart Charge payment before or on the day of crossing you have the option to pay by midnight the day after you cross. There is some kind of fraud going on this Dartford crossing. Any advice on what to do would be appreciated, thank you. They said the cant help otherwise. Make sure you swerve the fine with APH.com here. Yes I have had the same I remembered 6 days later (busy time with family etc sorry I have a life!). Sadly you could be one of the 300,000 drivers who forgot to pay their Dartford Crossing charge in one month alone racking up potential bills of around 21m? They were really helpful and told me to appeal and as its my first offence the chances are the appeal will be successful. No 14 day reminder; just a letter with the fine, dated April, which I found today! So I paid the 5 return charge around 4:30am, so four and a half hours late, and hoped for the best. This is a new service your The penalty notice arrived. Singletrack uses affiliate services calledSkimlinksandwhich means we may earn revenue if you buy a product after clicking a link to a retailer on our site. I think making an online payment or on the phone (when it starts working again) would be the best bet. Unfortunately, the transplant wasnt to be, and I came back really tired with my head in a very strange place. ItsDART.org - Dallas Area Rapid Transit the payment for Dartford Crossing for people from the continent: where is a declaration? Are you deliberately trying to deter motorists from using this crossing? Furthermore at the passing times, the traffic was so dense I even didnt see there was a charge to pay or somewhere mentioning a website. I think they have 56 days to make a decision. pathetic service ! I tried to enter my car registration number on the ghastly and confusing UK gov website and it was refused. Ive got exactly same problem on 2.10.2015 received letter with two pieces of paper and envelope one with pcn dated 14/09/15 with charges but other explains pcn charges but says you can just pay 2.50 within 14days from issue date and all pcn charges will be cancelled. there was chaos when we went through the tunnel northbound as a vehicle was causing a hazard in one tunnel. As I have said, there is a very strong presumption that ,,,,,,,, intended the payment to be for his recent crossing, because he surely cannot have intended to receive a penalty by making the payment against a future crossing instead. I had a long trip to make to the East of Germany with no internet access, so was unable to pay online until after midnight on the day following the crossing so potentially I will be issued with a penalty notice. 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! Have now received another penalty notice, this time for 105. The drive back home was hell, took me like seven hours to get from London to Lancashire, and I was so spangled when I got home that I simply forgot. I thought this was correct as the PCN was for 70 and I was paying the toll charge of 2.50. Registered Disabled If the vehicle you are driving is exempt from road tax, because youre disabled, you dont need to pay. Scandal. Yes, you have 24 hours to pay the charge after crossing the Dartford Crossing. The Print+ membership where Singletrack magazine drops through your door, plus full digital access, is normally 45, now only 22.50 with the code. Was it the first offence? These figures dont appear to have been released since. I just received two letter from Dart asking for the 70 fine for crossing the bridge in June on two days (one journey out, one journey back). WebHow to make sure you dont forget to pay the Dartford Crossing toll Get an extra 14 days to pay: . Instead they have 10 of my money ( I paid for 4 trips in error!) I would like to be able to put my registration in, and confirm that there are no outstanding payments or fines. Now queue up. On the crossing there is nothing! I am the registered keeper and had been given a PCN before and as a first time, I was allowed to pay just the fee for crossing. They make it difficult so that most of us just give up and pay the money. One place for strangers to pay would be helpful. By the time I got a response a larger fine came through for non/late payment. The fastest way to get in touch with the Dart Charge Customer service is by contacting them via telephone using the details below: From outside the UK: +44 (0) 300 300 0120, Their contact hours are Monday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm (excluding public holidays/bank holidays). Worth trying your luck. Okay so Im receiving penalties for a man who doesnt live at my house! Yes its not made to be easy. 9.00am i tried on line twice with 2 different cards, then i called direct line to be told the system is down and they cannot take any payments, this is just stupid, i am worrying myself sick that i will be charged more, i need your help asap. How can I deal with it, any suggestion? 6. WebOnline by visiting the Dart Charge website here. I watch English TV and I have seen programmes where these debts are put into the hands of bailiffs who have Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras, they are everywhere and if your car passes one it will be flagged up immediately, then you get followed and stopped and if you do not pay the fine, which will get massive in time, they will confiscate your vehicle. We ended up in the small claims arbitration process. Surely there is a time limit to issuing???? I also paid before getting fined, well you do when you suddenly remember after a holiday!! Or you could call 0300 3000 120 and pay through an automated service or a real person, or you could go to http://www.payzone.co.uk/Store-Locator and select transport and ticketing then select dart charge then type in your postcode and city and it will give you a list of all the payzones that accept payment for the crossing within a 5 mile radius of your street. Since it was in a hire car, I have no idea if anyone using this car has missed previous payments and thus whether any 14-day extension will be granted. When I crossed the bridge there was a lot of cars around me and I was completely focused on finding the good way reading all the signs. Please, do someone of you know what can exactly happen to me In order to manage my account online, the first step in creating an account is to make a payment on 10 (for four crossings). On the day in question I was at work and my car was in my work car park in Franborough, Hampshire all day! Hello Yes, this is true and we agree. What can i do? I will let you know how I get on with the car hire company, although they havent been to helpful so far! Additionally, the majority of appeals are successful. We assumed that as we had by this point paid 2.50, we had complied. Removal of toll-booths means that payment is now by means of credit, and most consumer credit is for 30 days. Clearly looking through the comments and elsewhere on the internet, there are problems with the system. Yes and please be aware that the phone lines will be open for shorter hours over the Christmas period, so you could ring up to find them closed and get a fine. So 5 months late for an offence I had no idea i had committed. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. You would think so but I expect the millions in fines looks good on the balance sheet. 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. This measured approach strikes the right balance between being clear to drivers they need to pay Dart Charge and giving them every opportunity to do so.. What it does not say is that paying before you get a letter just puts your cash in credit and is not used to pay for crossing. Does this mean I will not receive a penalty notice? I did receive a confirmation email but I couldnt open the attached PDF. This will be sent to the address your vehicle is registered to. Signing up will also extend the time you have to pay from midnight the following day to seven days after using the crossing. You must pay it within 28 days. 3. we dont want to set up a pre-payment and leave our money mouldering in the governments coffers because it is only marginally shorter for us to go the Dartford Crossing way than to the north, so we decide each time which way to go round the M25 based on traffic. Britain wake up to reality! Never did pay it, a few threatening letters arrived, duly ignored, eventually they went away. Win, win for them. This will be sent to the address your vehicle is registered to. We have not heard this policy is changing. hiya we used the Dartford crossing on the 21st February,we hadnt got a clue the system had changed,had our pound coins ready to pay and no-one at the toll booths,we didnt have a clue,we have since found out on the 15th March that we should have prepaid,can you tell us what to expect thank you. We went through the crossing on holiday last week. WebSimply pay the charge online at www.gov.uk/dart-charge, over the phone by calling 0300 300 0120or via a Payzone retail outlet such as a Post Office. Pretty disapointed that i had opened an account and monies were taken without my permission. The bridges are situated between Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire, and span the river Mersey and the Theres just one more week to go until one of the worlds largest electronic music festivals returns to the UK! Im a UK citizen and Im looking to leave the country driven out by my own governments practices. we can found a tollbooth open, with no barriers and no charge, only in case of some strike or dismission, We rent so he mayve lived here in the past but hant for the last two years what do I do!? You should have a good chance of success. I do recognise that has a recent history of making another slightly late payment, but there is no evidence that Dart Charge took that into account when actually issuing this PCN. Will I win an appeal on such grounds. Both crossing took place during the daytime. Ive just missed my midnight deadline by a few hours and as such, I am now forced into a locked system whereby I simply have to wait for my PCN to come through. BTW as for cutting crossing times, why did it take me 25 minutes on a Sunday afternoon? Good luck. After travelling on French motorways where a payment system is in place that caters for regular and occasional users, I can confirm that for the latter, the system is vastly superior in every respect to the system you now operate. Its a lease car, so Ive never heard a thing since from either them, or the lease company Completely unaware, Call 0300 123 1059, and explain your situation to them and theyll send you some appeal forms, I just hope theyre successful, How this can be a fair, or cost-effective process is beyond me having never had som much as a parking ticket in my life, taking me to court for paying a 2.50 a day late is ludicrous.