Free Traffic Legal Advice

Last June we travelled back from France to North Wales using the Dartford crossing. We paid £7 prior to crossing using Nochex who work on behalf of Dartford crossing. We instantly received an invoice via email confirming payment and cost. Fast forward jan 8th 2025 and we receive letter in post from the outlaws Bristol and Sutor demanding payment of £192.50 !!! When I rang them they said it was for late payment even though we paid on the day. I explained I wanted to appeal and was advised to contact transport enforcement which I have done and am now in appeal stage.

Our reason for appeal is we paid on the day before crossing and had email confirming this . The fact that Nachex who take payments on behalf of council were late making that payment. Surely I can’t be blamed for that and would of thought if they are collecting payments on behalf of Dartford crossing, then they need to ensure THEY Not me make those payments on time. To say I’m responsible when I’ve had email confirming payment is unfair. Bristol and Sutor saying I should of had notifications of default prior to letter from them dated 8th Jan 2025. They also want copies of what I am arguing my appeal on and loads of details around my national insurance numbers wether I’m working bank details etc . I don’t feel comfortable given such details as I might win appeal.
Any advice greatly appreciated.

You might want to read https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/dartford-crossing-scam-catching-drivers-2545117

Thanks for moving and the replies. When I phoned the traffic enforcement office yesterday they agreed to email me forms Te7 and Te9?to complete. This is my witness statement of why I am appealing (see original post) and and a statement of extension of time. I have completed these and am returning shortly but just wanted some advice  around do I need to add any more info on my witness statement. If you look at my post I have explained my reasons for appeal. Also should I send this info Bristow and Sutor as they are demanding I send to them along with lots of other personal information I mentioned in my post. Any help greatly appreciated

Forgot to mention I can’t find my v5 it’s in house somewhere but am still looking. May have old address on not sure. Maybe that’s why I never had any correspondence. Any advice still appreciated thank you

Oh dear, oh dear ! The commonest reason we have on here for bailiffs at your door is failure to update their V5 and a PCN is served to the name and address on it. We've seen a thread on here just this week where the OP told us it is over 3 years out-of-date. Unfortunately, things rarely go well in such situations. TEC pass your Out-of-Time declaration to DART who can and probably will, reject it on the basis that all the enforcement documents were sent to the name and address on the V5. TEC then reject the submission.  It is your legal duty as a V5 holder to keep it up-to-date.

Anyway, please post everything you currently have here, especially details of your payment. Also tell us how out-of-date your V5 is. Updates on or around the date of an address change usually mean the Witness Statement is accepted, because DVLA take some time to do the update, although you can do this online. Updating the driver licence address does not update one's V5

Thanks for the reply. I hear what your saying but I still don’t get the penalty for the late payment when we paid on the day and had email confirming the payment. The fact there was a delay in the payment was down to the  company we used on line. We paid on day had acknowledgement of that payment yet they didn’t pay it until the Monday where we had acknowledgement of it pain on the Friday before . Also can anyone clarify if I have to share the info with bristow and sutor

Yes indeed, but it is plainly obvious that despite your paying, there is an error somewhere such that when you crossed, your crossing was not linked to the payment. The stage you're at currently, means you have to get the process reverted before you can even argue the toss about the payment and the PCN. Sorry, but that is the process, so you have to fit into it, unless you can get DART to accept their error and call off the bailiffs.

Our normal advice here is to pay the bailiffs to freeze the amount owing. Payment does not affect your rights to submit a Witness Statement, (in your case, Out-of-Time), when you can explain the circumstances.

The above assumes you have contacted DART about the matter and got nowhere.

Thank you for the replies and advice very helpful. Just to say the incident occurred in June 24 but had no correspondence from bailiffs til jan 25 that might be down to them sending info to old address

You might want to redact your email address.
That is from Nochex? DART will not care when you paid a third party, only when they were paid.

The bailiffs Barlow and sutor have put on hold till 7/2 while I have sent email to transport enforcement centre with completed forms te7 and 9