Member Since: 08 Aug 2011
Location: North of the south
Posts: 1795
Dartford Crossing nightmare.... and a rant
I used the Dartford Crossing 2 weeks ago for the first time ever. The next day I went online to pay, and there was no trace of my vehicles being recorded as having crossed. Well, I knew I had crossed so I rang the payment number, who ran my VRM and confirmed that they had no record of my crossing.
fair enough.
This weekend I got a penalty notice complete with photos of me and my LR crossing the bridge, my VRM clearly visible. Not happy, but as first offence I was offered the chance to pay the standard crossing rate of £2.50.
I used the crossing again this Saturday just gone, and guess what, no record of me crossing. I guess I will get another Penalty Notice.
Does anyone know if this a regular problem?Man with no D3 anymore, but cant leave the forum....how sad.
In 2017 it {The Dartford Crossing} earned Highways England £207.4m, 45% of that in fines. The figure would have been higher but £42.4m in fines had to be written off as non recoverable.
A nice little earner.
I suggest take it up with your MP.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
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10th Jul 2019 7:17 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8142
Had similar on Merseyflow bridge in the early days but with car 'InControl' app could prove I was on bridge so "would like to pay please" after it happened to me slightly bizarre . Car was brand new so guess DVLA delay in effect?
Only issues since then have been my own, twice now I've forgotten I was in SWMBO's car when I went to pay and paid for wrong car. Have been 'let off' after ringing them directly as soon as I remembered but think working for JLR (and a regular user of the bridge) has helped there as seems it's quite a common issue.....
10th Jul 2019 8:47 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4525
It is a poor system, that assume everyone has internet access.
I have an account (although I've only used the crossing perhaps 6 times) but it does save the stress of having to pay online, and it's cheaper.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
10th Jul 2019 10:39 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8142
Problem with an account (on Merseyflow) is I have three cars that could cross at any time (one more than the others though to be fair) and/swap vehicles with others so easiest thing is for me to remember to log online when I get into work and pay there and then.
You can obviously ‘pop into’ Liverpool and pay at some shops and I believe can pay over the phone, neither the most convenient ways
10th Jul 2019 12:22 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4525
On the DartCharge account, you can add as many cars as you want. I have all my cars. and some other family cars. The chances are I'll never drive my Triumph over the Dartford crossing, but if I did, I don't have to worry about logging on to pay for it.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
10th Jul 2019 12:44 pm
Browny90
Member Since: 19 Jul 2016
Location: Ashbourne
Posts: 698
I had an issue with the Dartford crossing in May, I have an account set up, but when I returned I got an Email saying that my account was in arrears.. I checked my bank and found both crossings had come out, so I called their office..
Even though I had an account, they couldn't recognise my reg
So they did some faffing about found my payments and had to move the payment manually onto my account, even though their system had automatically charged me when I drove through..
They ended up refunding me £5 (2 crossings for someone without an account?) but having just looked and searched my crossings for the last 90 days it says just one crossing and I am £2.50 in credit..
They obviously have some issues with the automated system, I wonder if they have an issue with private regs..
Do you have a private Reg mcsimmo?Disco4 MY16 SDV6 Landmark Black
Disco4 MY12 SDV6 XS Orkney Grey (Gone)
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10th Jul 2019 1:25 pm
lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
I have an account and its worked fine for me since day one, multiple cars on it, including my mothres two, that was a mistake
Wife got clobbered the other day as her Audi A6 was registered on a private plate, she had sold it and bought a newer A6 on the same private plate, so basically same car different colour and she got a penalty notice so they dont just notice the reg number, rung and paid, but didnt notice there was actually another penalty notice under the first one for the return trip!
She rung again and was told she would have to appeal which she did and only paid the std fare, have to say the operators seem pretty fair, I guess it depends if you are genuine or not?
10th Jul 2019 2:18 pm
mcsimmo
Member Since: 08 Aug 2011
Location: North of the south
Posts: 1795
Yes I have private plate. It’s 2 numbers followed by 3 letters. It clearly shows on the enforcement photos, and when I searched online to pay I put in the number both with and without a gap between the numbers and letters.Man with no D3 anymore, but cant leave the forum....how sad.
Also have an account with three vehicles on it, two of them have the Dart Tag, never had an issue.
With the tag you get a beep as get to where the toll booths were coming off the bridge, beeps again as you enter the tunnel. Only advantage of the tag is you can see the same day that you’ve gone through and payment taken.
10th Jul 2019 4:18 pm
Sydney
Member Since: 11 Aug 2013
Location: St Neots
Posts: 903
If you try and pay online and no record of your registration number is there grab a screenshot and retain for your records, if possible try and get it with a date and time on it somewhere.De-Tango
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. Car was brand new so guess DVLA delay in effect?
