Dartford Crossing by car could cost £140?

[TheDuke]

We went under the tunnel to Suffolk from Sussex and came back a cuppla days later over the bridge. There were no toll charges and we just thought that the crossing had paid for itself now.
However, this morning we received an official penalty demand for £70 for each way as we 'evaded' paying the toll. Evidently you have to prepay online if we want to cross...we certainly didn't know that and what happens to the millions of tourists who also would be oblivious to this.
There is a way out by paying within 14days and it only costing the correct fee of £2.50 each way...but what happens if we missed the letter or are on holiday etc...the penalty is £140. Has anyone else fallen foul to this? Did anyone see the announcement of this new scheme?

 

[Man of Harveys]

It's absolutely crackpot. There has been some info out there about this but as you say, what about the thousands and thousands of tourists?

I've had to pay 10 quid just in case we might possibly go to East Anglia at some point - and the provision to pay as you turn up doesn't exist any more. Crazy stuff.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It's been well publicised. There are signs all the way up to Dartford in both directions. There has been at least one thread on NSC about it. You can pay up to midnight after you've been through the (former) toll booths.

When you drove up there, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that nobody took any money off you?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What about the congestion charge, in that London. I went there, and no-one asked me for any money. There are no toll booths or anything. How are you supposed to KNOW?

 

[zeetha]

If you ring up and say that you didn't realise that you had to pay, then if it is the first time you've done the crossing they are usually fine about you just paying for the crossings that you've done. Thats what happened to us anyway when we forget to pay the first time we crossed when we went on to a family function and then came back the other way round the M25 and completely forgot about it!

 

[Igzilla]

What about the congestion charge, in that London. I went there, and no-one asked me for any money. There are no toll booths or anything. How are you supposed to KNOW?

By osmosis?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

By osmosis?

Maybe.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What about the congestion charge, in that London. I went there, and no-one asked me for any money. There are no toll booths or anything. How are you supposed to KNOW?

There's a great big painted sign on the road. It says something along the lines of YOU C***

 

[hans kraay fan club]

There's a great big painted sign on the road. It says something along the lines of YOU C***

Ah, yes. That'll be it.

(Bit like the signage for Dartford then?)

 

[Hillian1]

It's been well publicised. There are signs all the way up to Dartford in both directions. There has been at least one thread on NSC about it. You can pay up to midnight after you've been through the (former) toll booths.

When you drove up there, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that nobody took any money off you?

If, like it was always supposed to be, the charges were only going to be in force until the Bridge had paid for its own construction then there is the possibility you wouldn't find it strange.

That said, I haven't driven over that bridge for years so have no idea how well signed it is that you have to pay online.

 

[Triggaaar]

We went under the tunnel to Suffolk from Sussex and came back a cuppla days later over the bridge.

The tunnel and bridge must be quite long?

 

[Parson Henry]

By osmosis?

Are they still around. Thought they had split and it was only Little Jimmy Osmosis that still sung.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

If, like it was always supposed to be, the charges were only going to be in force until the Bridge had paid for its own construction then there is the possibility you wouldn't find it strange.

That said, I haven't driven over that bridge for years so have no idea how well signed it is that you have to pay online.

I can't remember exactly what or where the signs are. But I've been up that way for Albion games three or four times since. The only time I forgot, I stopped at Clackett Lane Services to sort it out on my phone. Though it turned out I had the rest of that day to pay anyway, even after crossing.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Over 75% of foreigners don't pay, and they're not chased for it. Makes about 2% of total traffic I think. It's well sign posted, if you didn't see at least one sign are you sure you're paying enough attention when driving?

 

[TheDuke]

It's been well publicised. There are signs all the way up to Dartford in both directions. There has been at least one thread on NSC about it. You can pay up to midnight after you've been through the (former) toll booths.

When you drove up there, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that nobody took any money off you?

Never saw the notices...we honestly thought that after years of taking toll money that the crossing had paid for themselves now. It happens on the continent

 

[wellquickwoody]

It's been well publicised. There are signs all the way up to Dartford in both directions. There has been at least one thread on NSC about it. You can pay up to midnight after you've been through the (former) toll booths.

When you drove up there, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that nobody took any money off you?

I drove through this just a few days after it came into operation, drove to Stanstead, could not get a decent Wifi signal with which to pay. Got on my plane, did business trip, returned home 3 days later and thought SXXT!

Fortunately every man and his dog was having issues, and about 8 weeks later I got a letter offering that if I paid the original charge immediately then that would be the end of the matter, done!

But it demonstrated how easy it can be to forget to pay.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Never saw the notices...we honestly thought that after years of taking toll money that the crossing had paid for themselves now. It happens on the continent

Ah. Now there's your error. Imagining that we are in any way as public spirited, or as financially organised as they are

 

[Heffle Gull]

We forgot to pay during our recent holiday in Norfolk. Paid Late, as soon as we remembered and could find a half decent 3G signal. Returned home to the Penalty notice, phoned them, and was told not to worry about it, they were not enforcing the penalty notice at the moment, while the new payment system is bedding in. There are plenty of signs as you approach the tunnel, and you only have to google dart charge, and you will find everything you need to know.

 

[jameswestport]

We went under the tunnel to Suffolk from Sussex and came back a cuppla days later over the bridge. There were no toll charges and we just thought that the crossing had paid for itself now.
However, this morning we received an official penalty demand for £70 for each way as we 'evaded' paying the toll. Evidently you have to prepay online if we want to cross...we certainly didn't know that and what happens to the millions of tourists who also would be oblivious to this.
There is a way out by paying within 14days and it only costing the correct fee of £2.50 each way...but what happens if we missed the letter or are on holiday etc...the penalty is £140. Has anyone else fallen foul to this? Did anyone see the announcement of this new scheme?

I got stung with a letter yesterday as well! The Aunty told me not to worry and that she'd do it for me because she was registered. ****ing numpty!

 

[maltaseagull]

It's absolutely crackpot. There has been some info out there about this but as you say, what about the thousands and thousands of tourists?

I've had to pay 10 quid just in case we might possibly go to East Anglia at some point - and the provision to pay as you turn up doesn't exist any more. Crazy stuff.

Bound to be the Tories fault.