# Dartford crossing



## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Just checked my email and noticed one from Dartcharge about my account. Wasn't aware that from 1st October the discounted rate for the crossing was increased from £1.67 to £2.00. Has anyone else had notification?


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Here is a list of the current charges.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I went across recently in our French registered car.

Being a dutiful citizen I rang up to pay and was told "We cannot trace that you went across." But I paid anyway.

I have heard nothing more about it so I may be in credit or not.....

I know there is a tunnel but is it really a Black Hole ?

I was using the bridge anyway.......

There is a phrase about imbibing sessions and establishments to produce alcoholic beverages....... and an inability to organise.

Has anyone else had a similar experience ?


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

charlieivan said:


> Just checked my email and noticed one from Dartcharge about my account. Wasn't aware that from 1st October the discounted rate for the crossing was increased from £1.67 to £2.00. Has anyone else had notification?


Yes, I received an email notification of the charge increases on 24th August.

I originally set up the automated account in 2015 and it automatically removes the correct amount. So far it has been spot on, and I find it very easy to update vehicles as I change them. .

.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

I’m pleased that your account is working well John, you must be one of the chosen ones! We have, or did have, local residents accounts and these proved an absolute administrative nightmare. So much so that my wife cancelled hers and prefers to pay the full rate just to avoid the aggro. 

There is a shindig going on at the moment concerning a Dartford OAP without an account who drove through about a year ago, forgot to pay the charge and has ended up with a near £1000 fine. A few days after his crossing he moved house and presumably any demands for payment were not forwarded on and the fine kept increasing. The first he knew about it was when the bailiff traced him (his case had gone to court without his knowledge) and settled for a half payment of the fine and the rest at ten quid a week. There are two issues getting people wound up. The first is how long it took to trace him, they had his registration number so a check with DVLA was all that was required and the bailiff managed it without problems. The second is the amount of fine, £1000 for a £2.50 non payment! It’s daylight robbery. I’v suggested he contacts his local MP, who has had no end of complaints about the tunnel operators, to put some pressure on. The problem is that the poor old sod cannot afford it, is one of those type people who don’t like to make a fuss and thinks that there is no come back against authority.

Ron


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## swanny65 (Sep 12, 2014)

Penquin said:


> I went across recently in our French registered car.
> 
> Being a dutiful citizen I rang up to pay and was told "We cannot trace that you went across." But I paid anyway.
> 
> ...


Same here. We brought a French hire car home this summer when our MH broke down. Mrs S rang up paid for the French car on my account, didnt want to get fined by Hertz, but the deduction was not made.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

It appears that the charge is there because the Government do not want drivers to use the crossing e.g it is a form of Congestion Charge.

The Department for Transport has said the debt associated with the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge was paid off in 2003 - 15 years ago.
"The toll is an effective means of managing traffic (55 million vehicles travel through the crossing every year) on the bridge to prevent excess damage.

The huge surplus from the income is spent on transport schemes throughout the country so the Government as normal win. I was a little surprised that the contract to administer the Dartford toll is held by Sanef so it is helping the French economy as well. That contract was awarded by no other that our current Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond. I wonder if the French appreciate his efforts.

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/dartford-crossing-ever-free-thousands-2025574

I noticed while in France recently that they have a perverse system. The toll on the autoroutes, which are the safest roads, have increased such that it deters drivers using them. The drivers opt to use departmental roads where the accident rate is high so the Government response is to lower the speed limit on them. You just have to wonder what it is about Governments that make them appear so short sighted.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Forgot to pay it ,!!!, over 24 hours now 

Now £30 :frown2::surprise:

Trying to get a number to pay it on, emailed no reply yet, another week and it’s £70 

Sandra


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Sandra FIRST forget is condoned, if you read right down to the bottom of the document (page 3? tiny print at the bottom!) Phone and say oh sorry I forgot please can I pay now. yes you can once only.


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

For what it's worth ... take the stress out of paying by having an account 

It's a good investment!
I keep mine around £20 ... at least 4 crossings a year saving 50p each time = £2.00.... if I'm not mistaken, that's a 10% return 

anyone know of a savings account that gives 10% ?


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

xgx said:


> anyone know of a savings account that gives 10% ?


Travelling between 10pm and 6am saves 100%


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

xgx said:


> For what it's worth ... take the stress out of paying by having an account
> 
> It's a good investment!
> I keep mine around £20 ... at least 4 crossings a year saving 50p each time = £2.00.... if I'm not mistaken, that's a 10% return
> ...


I also have an account but tend to keep it around £10. If you consider 1 million people have an account with £20 in it then Sanef are holding on to £20,000,000 for doing absolutely nothing and I am sure they will be getting better than your 10% return on that. The number of people with an account will no doubt be far more than the 1 million example !!!!


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

What's your trick in keeping your account at £10 please?

As soon as my account drops below £10, even by a couple of coppers, they automatically deduct another £10, knocking it back up to almost £20 again. 

.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We only cross once or twice a year

So easy to forget

Sandra


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

HurricaneSmith said:


> What's your trick in keeping your account at £10 please?
> 
> As soon as my account drops below £10, even by a couple of coppers, they automatically deduct another £10, knocking it back up to almost £20 again.
> 
> .


My account is a manual one instead of auto. That way I can let it run down to coppers before having to top it up. I only use the crossing a couple of times each year but have some of my family's vehicles on as named vehicles so it does get used quite often.


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Thanks for explaining. You must be more organised than me. 

I think if I followed that route I'd screw up, forget to top up the funds and be fined. Knowing my potential failing I think I'd better stick to the automated system to remain safe. 

.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I now only cross a few times a year but have all our family vehicles on an account. It just takes the worry out of having to pay and it costs nothing.

About a year ago we crossed south to north and back again the following day and only got charged for the return trip. I presume the cameras hadn't picked the car up - it was busy and as always there were a lot of lorries around so I can only presume the cameras were blocked. If it missed us then you wonder how many other cars get missed? As for improving traffic flows, I've found that the queues in peak time for the tunnels are far worse than they were when the toll booths were there. It's because they've put up traffic lights to control flow rates and like so often, things get worse when there are lights.


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi all 

i have been fined 2 times over the years and after lengthy phone calls i suggested they take me to court


basically i was sent a fine and a picture of a truck with the number plate that is registered to me

the problem is i do not own a truck and the registration number is registered to a vintage harley davidson that i own

the fine even stated harley davidson motorcycle

and they would not accept that the picture showed a truck


had the same the following year and just told them i would see them in court if they wished and that i would expect them to pay all my expenses and legal costs 


no reply yet


barry


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Tried to pay

But it said we had sent an email

And we couldn’t pay 

Because there is a representation on this account ??

We just tried to accept fault and pay the fine 

It was our fault

We forgot 

Sandra


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

aldra said:


> Tried to pay
> 
> But it said we had sent an email
> 
> ...


Have you appealed against a Penalty Notice ?
https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/MakeRepresentation/MakeRepresentation


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

no we just tried to pay

37.50 

It was our fault, we forgot 

But we can’t 

There is a representation ???

Just an email apologising and asking to allow us to pay and requesting a penalty number to pay on

Sandra


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

aldra said:


> There is a representation ???
> 
> Sandra


Have you actually received a Penalty Notice from them?

I think that you have not and one is on its way and they can only deal with it once you have the Penalty Notice with its reference number.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Yes we have

But they won’t accept our payment because there is a representation on it ???

Could only be our email requesting to pay 

Sandra


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

These electronic tolls especially for short stretches like tunnels or bridges are a real pain. Dartford crossing I have an account for with van and cars registered, hence don't think anything of it. Last month however I crossed the New Mersey crossing, the replacement for the old Runcorn/Widnes bridge and got a fine after forgetting. Reminds me I must see if they have an account system.

Are these systems going to become widespread across Europe I wonder? On a long journey it would be easy to cross one , maybe pick out the word "toll" or "peage" but a few hours later have a very tedious time identifying a website to pay.


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

There must be some organisation that supports motorists! Tolls in UK are a joke. I've had a (French) SANEF -T tag for years, and have yet to find a road/bridge/tunnel where it's not valid, and it can be used in any sub 3.5t vehicle. In the the UK every toll is different. With SANEF there is no requirement for pre payment or charging of tag, whenever I use it my UK credit card is debited, and only then. Why can't we have the same system in the UK?


Malcolm


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

emjaiuk said:


> There must be some organisation that supports motorists! Tolls in UK are a joke. I've had a (French) SANEF -T tag for years, and have yet to find a road/bridge/tunnel where it's not valid, and it can be used in any sub 3.5t vehicle. In the the UK every toll is different. With SANEF there is no requirement for pre payment or charging of tag, whenever I use it my UK credit card is debited, and only then. Why can't we have the same system in the UK?
> 
> Malcolm


Yes it would good to see some uniformity. The M6 TOLL for instance ignores wt and goes by number of axles instead. Means my twin wheel 6 tonner is cheaper than a much lighter tag axle.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Such a thing would require joined up thinking and of course because SANEF is a commercial organisation it would have to take a cut and each of the toll routes would have to tolerate a reduced income on the basis that the customers would find the experience easier....

And therein lays the flaw; the toll routes are operating partially for the companies involved ad partially for HMG as a revenue generator - customer satisfaction is not required as they have a monopoly where they operate.

That is one reason why the Dartford Crossing removed ALL toll booths and insist on internet or phone or Payoint payments rather than leaving say one or two booths - they feel they would EITHER be swamped as people wold use those rather than the electronic versions OR the booths would be underused and the staff not efficient and yet expensive.....

Of course it could reasonably said that once the costs of building are covered the tolls should be removed but.......

I agree an overall tag type system makes sense and since SANEF is very efficient in France (and Spain I believe now) then use it - that way there will be fewer mistakes and the costs of using the system would be less......

But that requires joined up thinking - back to stage 1......


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Is there still a discount for Caravan & Motorhome Club members 
Dave


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## Dougaitken (Aug 14, 2009)

No discount for Caravan and Motorhome Club members on the Dartford Tunnel. Didn't think there ever was. There was a discount for the M6 Toll road but that's just been withdrawn.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well we’ve managed to pay 

And it was our fault

So cost us 

Such is life 

Sandra


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

aldra said:


> Yes we have
> 
> But they won't accept our payment because there is a representation on it ???
> 
> ...


My experience was that I couldn't pay when I'd submitted an appeal, until the finding comes out.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

DJMotorhomer said:


> Is there still a discount for Caravan & Motorhome Club members
> Dave


There is for now but unfortunately it ceases after 31st December 2018 :frown2:


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Old thread, I know - but it’s somewhat appropriate.

We have had a Dart Charge account for a few years - we don’t cross very often, but like the “one less thing to worry about” feeling it gives us. We changed our Moho earlier this year, but I forgot to update my account at the time - silly me. 

We didn’t use the Dartford crossing on our way out to France but we did on our return journey - and I surprised myself by remembering (as we drove through the Dartford Tunnel) that I hadn’t updated my account - no worries, I thought, I have until midnight to pay. We stopped at ? Services on the M1 and I updated my account with the new Moho registration number and thought no more about it. 

About ten days later I got a penalty warning letter for non payment. After a short (they took four days to reply) email exchange they advise me that the outstanding crossing has been debited to my account as a gesture of goodwill. They further advised me that only vehicles associated with the account at the time of crossing will be covered by the account - even though payment isn’t due until later. I can see now, having thought about it a bit) why their IT system works the way it does. 

The message from me is — if you use a Dart Charge account, make sure your vehicle details are up to date BEFORE you use the crossing.


Regards,
John


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