I have used the dart pay system many times before, and paid successfully. Your customer service representative told me that the PCN system is automated and that I should therefore have received it already. Were all being hit by rubbish signage. Hi Catherine, As this is your first trip you will be a first offender so youll be covered by the 14-day grace period. Hope youre feeling better now. 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. which is also a disproportionate amount of money. What is a Dart penalty charge notice (PCN)? The purpose of the penalty scheme is to encourage compliance with the payment system. I crossed the QE2 bridge on 15th June and have only just discovered today that the charges have to be paid within 24hrs of crossing I like so many others assumed the charges had been suspended while major works are carried out as the signage is not very clear. For each crossing! Is it possible that someone else has used the car at the crossing? Welcome to England !! I live in Stone which is just next to the Dartford crossing so everyday on my way home I take the last turning before the toll for Swanscombe, however today there was an exceptional amount of lorrys and trucks queuing back at my turning off, I was indicating but not one of them could let me in as it was not moving. It seems ridiculous you can be fining people nearly 5 months after the offence. Hi Karen I called Dart Charge and pleaded for leniency but of course was told my only option was to make a representation (2 representations, actually). We were advised that the admin fees were not recoverable. Remember to set it when you book your parking with APH.com, 1. The official Dart Charge site will confirm the make and registration before allowing motorists to pay. Enjoy a worry-free journey and dont return to a big fine, There are plenty of ready-made apps that do the same thing for Android users too. You must appeal to the adjudicator within 28 days of the Notice of Rejection is received. I confirm that I have not. I later received a penalty letter. The arbitrary (and disproportionate) 35 fine is only there to generate money. The system seems to be extremely clogged. Thanks very much. and I was tranquil about. ): I telephoned your office this evening to try and establish when I can expect to receive a PCN in relation to a crossing I made on 28 July. Note: Highways England apologises unreservedly for their error. Should I contact them? You should certainly remain exempt if you were before. I have never driven through the Dartford crossing as I do not even know where it is!! Hi, No way round this. The same happened to me. Since this is a huge money, I think some good solicitors can do something. Under my ownership, the . I would also suggest that as the 35 has already been paid, that you have good grounds for not paying anymore. Our team fact-checks content to ensure accuracy at the time of writing. If I hadnt read this this page I would never have known about the 14 days grace Add a copy of your payment (email if online or scan it/take phone piccie and save first) in the next box and write a quick blurb to say it was paid. Most importantly, the amount will significantly increase to 70 (discounted to 35 if paid within 14 days). Now there is no way for me to avoid the penalty! I crossed the bridge (for the first time ever being in this region) on April 6th driving down to the south of Italy for work. I believe this dartford toll system is just a huge government sanctioned extortion scam. i dont even know i have crossed the Dartford crossing on 16/01/2016 ,but i dont know any thing about the crossing charges. Yet another part of UK democracy where they will take your money as quickly as they can and with penalty clauses but, give it back? https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request Make sure you swerve the fine with APH.com here. Although my number plate seemed to have been correctly detected. A charge certificate will be issued if payment is not made within 28 days. Payment and dissemination of information does appear to favour those with internet access, but there are easy ways for non-connected drivers to pay up and beat the fines. If you pay for your Dartford Crossing online, you should check your bank account to ensure you werent charged twice. How to pay penalty without any letter to do? This system is completely insane. 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 can i do? Many drivers have also complained the system is heavily biased towards those with online access. Hi Follow this link for information and a direct link to an official page where you can start the appeal process. Were you unlucky enough to get a Dart Charge penalty charge notice? We have one in our family the car is obtained from special suppliers and when we went through it automatically picked this fact up on the Registration. Hi -The 14-day period is from when the penalty charge is sent out so you should be fine. 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. Well, I can guess; they will sail through the barriers, oblivious to the implications, as I did. This system has been set up very badly; it seems set on making money from fines. Dart Charge Fine. Then input your postcode to find the nearest payment centre.Find your nearest Payzone retailer here. I have been hours going back through credit card and bank statements as I was sure I had made payment. chapter name 1night's black agents solo ops by gareth ryder-hanrahan 2night's black agents: solo opscredits publ. I was not prepared to make this payment as I have no need to make the crossing again. I would pay now and there is a chance youll be okay. I have just received a fine notice almost three months since using the crossing. Hold on to your crossing reference number once you make your one-off payment. 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 ? How can I check please ? I hope you will improve this system soon : The problem is not the payment, it is the way you collect it. where they asked me for a payment of the DART CHARGE My family went over dartford crossing in August on holiday no signs saying when or how to pay didnt even know you had to wasnt till we visited fiends a few days later that we found out went online and paid for both journeys payment was accepted now 4 months later been sent a PCN for 14:50,really annoyed after theyd taken my payment.Mine is a lease car so fine sent to lease company they paid the fine,then took it from my wages, now Ive got to try and claim it back. A real mess that needs sorting out though. 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. I contacted the hire company who said I would need to contact Dartford crossing. I had by accident misspelled the vehicle registration number (just realized when looking at the details of the payment receipt) and got a penalty notice in the post. 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. Else good bye 1050. UK has often been known for its lack of customer service for the government to promote it through such a scheme is unbelievable. Optional legal consultation In order to manage my account online, the first step in creating an account is to make a payment on 10 (for four crossings). This is awful :( There were no signs saying to pay on the internet or by phone or anything or id have seen it. Just to give you an impression of why I perceive of these regulations and timelines as too strict and unfair, I would like to point out how the road toll is handled in Auckland, New Zealand, where I travelled this spring. Hi Well I doubt youll get the 14-day grace period again, but paying asap might be enough to confuse what sounds like a creaking and groaning penalty system! 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, too, did not have any idea of the changes. 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. I see no other reason then a money making scam for using it to make more money in fines. But called to ask asI found out going through the tunnel means I have to pay too (thought you only paid while going through the bridge) but the man I spoke to said I now have to wait to receive a pcn as he cant take the payment. If the T&Cs dont make this clear, have a word with your local Trading Standards office. 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. MoneyNerd Limited is a free to use service, however we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you complete a loan, enter into a mortgage, remortgage or equity release agreement. I have cross the bridge couple of times before but paid them in time so this is my first time that I forgot to pay. first offender for goodness sake the criminals are those extorting money out of people, such as government no less. I am on holiday. In a lease van. How to appeal: Challenge the penalty by contacting the issuing authority within 28 days of the notice being served. If I do (which I hope I dont) can I appeal it since I paid, albeit 8 days too late?.. Looks like I will have to phone them. At no time has the fact that you can no longer pay the toll at the bridge ever been advertised in the North of England, being a Southerner that now lives in tat North its just another example of the southern isolationist attitude of institutions, I just want to cross the bridge not give my live story to some busy body, I dont use cards on line and you try to find a pay point that can complete the transaction, you could just have a text premium number that you could text your registration to, how about that! Any truth in the rumour that PCN is Latin for: More Cash for George???????? That said, you can use the tunnel for free at night if you cross between 10pm and 6am every day of the week. After numerous attempts to input my details and pay the toll on your abysmal website on 29 June, I gave up and called it in by phone. Find your local Trading Standards office here. THIS MUST BE CHANGED. I do not know if I have paid or not but will go to my local payment point tomorrow and pay in cash as well, then claim my money back from my credit card if they take both the payments. Please find enclosed evidence to this effect, in the form of [give details and why it backs up your case]. When I told your call taker that I was unhappy about the internet capacity and that the site was rubbish and I was now having to pay a fortune on calls, I was abruptly interrupted and told, no its not. We rent so he mayve lived here in the past but hant for the last two years what do I do!? Make a new reminder to pay the Dart Charge3. this is very first time please help me thanks. What Happens if You Don't Pay a Private Parking Ticket Go Girl. Or they forget to pay on time which results in a penalty charge. So i now face paying a total of 1050 for this oversight. steve. The first time I did have access to WiFi was after the payment deadline. Forgot to pay by midnight the following day (we were staying with friends), Paid on Monday. pathetic service ! So, if youre booking a holiday and will need to use the Dartford Crossing as you head to our Gatwick park and ride car park, for example, set the reminder to go off as you arrive at our facility. Hi Sanef who operate the system should cancel these fines, but if not, the adjudicator should do so. I called the number to pay but was told I couldnt pay beyond 24 hours, so I would be receiving a PCN. Also people should be able to pay by post after the crossing made. Maybe you forgot to pay or deliberately didnt pay the toll. Its also clear the site is targeting millions of foreign drivers who use the crossing each year, with the website offering versions of the payment system in 18 languages.How to pay the official site: If paying online, make sure you save cash and get an official receipt by heading here otherwise you could be left with no proof of payment or means of appeal if something goes wrong.www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge. Will I be ok? Its the best option in your situation. 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. Data protection she said. This would be the worst way to earn money. And by us consenting, contracting and complying we are then complicit by paying money by way of taxes for them to use, thus becoming an accessory to the crime. If the system is investigated, they will see we have only ever crossed once, and made one payment. I tell everyone I know to avoid it. I have appealed and await the response. Receipt FJ No 29616281 ref 150522132752022153F7N. I tried to pay via the website this evening 20.07.2015. So I paid the 5 return charge around 4:30am, so four and a half hours late, and hoped for the best. You say that you moved house in May 2020, and updated the V5 then. Just keep following through pages. A couple of days later I suddenly remembered, I went straight online and paid the toll charge. Hi If it is your first time you should certainly be fine. If the penalty was your first offence you should still be offered the opportunity to pay the original 2.50 (if in a car) charge. The chap then advised i had another 7.50 to pay which now clears everything up. When and if I decide to join Dartsave, will they charge me 1.67 per journey or 2.50 ? If you dont pay, they send you a Toll Payment Notice, which costs you 5 NZD. Lets see if they are human. I think lawyers should step in and file a case against them. Willing to admit my mistake, cause it was first time I crossed this bridge and I was quite surprised by the system they had. 7. I am a British Citizen but resident now in Canada. For this reason, I look forward to receiving notification that the Penalty Charge Notice has been cancelled within 28 days. I had no idea. (3) We dont want an account as we might only use the crossing maybe 6 times a year. I received a Charge Certificate in the post yesterday (22/01/2016). Only when the PCNs arrived (yes, two, though a month apart even though the southward/northward journeys were only 8 days apart) did we discover that Dart Charge was a brand name for the toll to cross the Thames. I heard an advert on the radio today, about the new Dartford crossing with no booths.call me naive, but I havent been in the tunnel or on the crossing for many many years and I thought it was free as I couldnt find any booths ! as first timers on this route since it has all changed were able to pay 2 crossing charges now we are home. Their records show I had paid and this charge certificate has been sent out by mistake. You should be fine. I hope that i do not receive a penalty. , but my credit card has been debited. Amazing phone call to Dart Charge on day 8 I remembered I havent paid.. ring to pay my first offence. lick on the underlined words Making a Representation 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. I live 90% of the time in Germany. However, there was another letter with the penalty notice that stated if I pay within the next 2 weeks i can just pay the original 2.50 crossing fee that I offered to do 3 days after the offence. Does anyone have any similar experience of this ? Is this now common practice? 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. It is free to use the crossing between 22:00 and 06:00. This is the first and only time the vehicle has crossed. Apparently it is, but you need to wait for the charge notice to be sent. Simply use the store locator below to find the outlet thats closest to you. I also paid before getting fined, well you do when you suddenly remember after a holiday!! Is this some kind of crazy joke? Hi Im hoping you can help. I just tried to pay and got the same, I tried about 10 times and it finally worked ! That being said, my brother just recieved 2 PCN's for a crossing in August. I telephoned the Dartford Tunnel to be told I had not paid enough for a return journey and that I still had to pay for the return trip. I was thus unable to log in and determine whether you had taken payment for the crossing on 28 July. 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. I asked what would happen to this money and he said that it would remain on account for 12 months and would be used to pay for any subsequent crossing I make. Warning: Your session is about to expire due to inactivity. I am livid that you can not simply phone and give your receipt details but have to spend time an money searching for receipt and then paying postage!!!!! Re: Dart Charge - Penalty Charge Notice Numbers IA1xxxxxx, IA1xxxxxxx, IA2xxxxx and IA2xxxxxx Following receipt of the above Penalty Charge Notices (herein referred to as PCNs) for two contraventions dated 31st of July and the 7th of August, likewise for the contraventions dated the 6th of novermber and 9th of november. I drove on the crossing on the 24.5.15 I didnt pay the toll and I received a PCN on 22.9.15 as it was my first offence I paid the 2.50. Surely there is a time limit to issuing???? I have had the same issue. They advised me on how to appeal and gave me everything I needed to make an airtight defence. I paid 2.50 for the 05/09/15 then called customer services to ensure that i do not have anything further to pay. Dart Charge Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) PDF, 1.65 MB, 2 pages This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Editor, Marcus Herbert. People cannot travel without the stress of thinking, will I get a congestion charge, a toll charge, parking ticket, overtime parking ticket etc. One place for strangers to pay would be helpful. 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. Do you think I would win an appeal? Have a good visit. But I am still waiting for the balance to appear. Poor signage , if any , I certainly didnt notice any, and poor information about changes. So sometime in January 2020, a PCN would have been sent to the address on the V5C. I am so angry at myself, I want to pay it online, but it will make no difference now. During my phone call to your office today 15 August, your customer service representative confirmed that you have not taken payment for the crossing on 28 July. My son used the Dartford Tunnel a few weeks ago. 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 would get in touch with them and explain what happened. Drivers are being charged up to 60% more to use the Dartford Crossing by unofficial websites taking advantage of confusion surrounding the new payment system since toll booths were axed in 2014. I dont have any problem paying the toll charge itself. I forgot to pay by midnight on 6th, but I remembered and paid up on 7th Oct at 7pm. Used the Dartford Tunnel Sunday 24.08.15 I have three factual comments. Good luck. I would like to complain as I cant agree to pay the penalty. We travelled last month and first we knew about toll was a warning letter about a fine for not paying crossing charge. If there is another way to pay, I am being fined for not knowing that, which is due to the fact that you do not provide means at the crossing for drivers to safely make a note of such means, if they exist. 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. 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. It is a huge amount that youre being asked to pay for a system that is flawed. He called me to ask me to pay, I put his registration in and it was confirmed the make, model and colour of his vehicle. How should I proceed ? There doesnt seem to be any way of checking that the toll has been paid. (1). I was totally flabbergasted to see my charge. i then used it on the 8th of Feb 2015. Every think else on your website but !!