Free Traffic Legal Advice

Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: thomas57028 on April 10, 2024, 08:37:46 am

Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: cp8759 on May 27, 2024, 12:07:43 pm
So I have received my PCN’s, should I just pay as the total is £40 or still contest on the phone. I’m not 100% sure what leg I have to stand on
100% challenge these. Post a draft representation on here first, but I don't really see how you could lose this as long as the case is argued properly.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Incandescent on May 19, 2024, 12:27:57 am
Looking at the total balls-up they made of the Autopay transfer, I don't think I'd be paying. I would be submitting representations based on this thread and what happened.  I can't see an administrator deciding against you.

There is, of course, if they are so foolish as to force you to adjudication, the fact that their PCNs are not lawful, because they demand the toll charge as well as the penalty charge.

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Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on May 18, 2024, 11:51:30 pm
Here is the second PCN

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Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on May 18, 2024, 11:49:22 pm
So I have received my PCN’s, should I just pay as the total is £40 or still contest on the phone. I’m not 100% sure what leg I have to stand on

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Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: cp8759 on April 24, 2024, 06:53:43 pm
Yes I’m still here, awaiting the PCN’s. I have managed to pay £10 of credit to my account to help my case and still unable to create an account
You need to contact Dart charge in writing asking them to apply the £10 credit to these crossings. It doesn't matter that they'll refuse, at the tribunal you want to be able to prove that you'd paid and they refused to apply that payment to your crossings.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on April 22, 2024, 12:09:47 am
Yes I’m still here, awaiting the PCN’s. I have managed to pay £10 of credit to my account to help my case and still unable to create an account
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: cp8759 on April 21, 2024, 03:29:04 pm
@thomas57028 are you still with us?
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: zzzatang on April 16, 2024, 04:54:18 pm
They had issued during the migration, it was all over the news.

People were unable to update their details even on and a few days after DART were asking people to update their details.

OP could have potentially tried to update and given up due to those tech issues during the migration.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Martyn21uk on April 16, 2024, 03:08:41 pm
For what it is worth, this is what I received from Dartford Crossing about revalidating details in 2023

(https://i.imgur.com/QO0eMFV.png)
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: mickR on April 16, 2024, 09:46:50 am
The Dartford Crossing switched payment providers towards the end of July 2023, which required everyone to revalidate their payment details.

If the OP failed to do that, it would explain why the Autopay failed.
Thanks for the info. Do you know how this need to revalidate their account was conveyed to the users.
I don't recall having to do that nor any communication from Dart about it and my account is and has been working perfectly well.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: cp8759 on April 16, 2024, 09:31:51 am
Thanks for the info. Do you know how this need to revalidate their account was conveyed to the users.
I got several emails about it and I don't even have an autopay account, just a pre-pay one.

@thomas57028 I suggest you pay for two crossings now, then write to dart charge (by whatever means, twitter, email, their website if it has a contact form) asking them to allocate those payments to those two crossings. They might not, but later on you'll have proof that you were trying to pay. I appreciate you made a phone call, but unless you have a recording phone calls don't count.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Incandescent on April 13, 2024, 01:32:30 am
The Dartford Crossing switched payment providers towards the end of July 2023, which required everyone to revalidate their payment details.

If the OP failed to do that, it would explain why the Autopay failed.
Thanks for the info. Do you know how this need to revalidate their account was conveyed to the users.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: BigBazz45 on April 13, 2024, 01:15:42 am
The Dartford Crossing switched payment providers towards the end of July 2023, which required everyone to revalidate their payment details.

If the OP failed to do that, it would explain why the Autopay failed.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on April 12, 2024, 11:14:07 am
I have spoke and they’ve said there is nothing they can do until I receive the PCN, from there I can call them and question it and hopefully get it dropped
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Incandescent on April 10, 2024, 06:44:55 pm
DART are usually much more reasonable in their dealings with motorists and unpaid tolls, and with you being an Autopay account holder, should really go the extra mile, as it's clear you did not intend to avoid payment. However that was the old regime and the jury is still out on this new mob.

I would certainly call them again, you might get a result. You need to make sure they fully understand why you had a problem paying.
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on April 10, 2024, 02:22:13 pm
I have just paid £10 onto the car, is it now worth calling them to get them to drop it?
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Incandescent on April 10, 2024, 01:43:05 pm
Just to let you know, in case they prove to be obdurate, their PCNs are unlawful and have been since they came under notice at a 2018 adjudication at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, (see file attached)

At the moment, it might be best to call them again, and tell them that you last used your Autopay account in 2022, so what has been changed to make it impossible for you to open your account.

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Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on April 10, 2024, 12:42:57 pm
I wanted to do it through my account as I knew I had an autopsy set up, and I honestly just didn’t think to do it not logged in until it was too late… The autopay would’ve been last used in 2022 I think, cannot say for sure but definitely not in a long while
Title: Re: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: Incandescent on April 10, 2024, 10:52:48 am
Not much we can do until you receive the PCNs, but may I ask why you just didn't go into their payment pages and just pay for the car crossings ?

When was the Autopay account last used ? Reason to ask is that they had a change of management, (I think it was 2022 or 2023), and also systems and there was considerable chaos at the time.
Title: Dartford tunnel charge
Post by: thomas57028 on April 10, 2024, 08:37:46 am
So I crossed the dartford tunnel twice on Sunday the 7th April,

I used to have an Autopay account which now mysteriously doesn’t exist? So I’ve tried to log into my account on the 7th and 8th with no luck, so I sent them an email (see attached) and also ended up getting my mum to add me to her autopay on the 9th as I was unable to then create an account as their system doesn’t send me a confirmation text or other people…

I phoned up their support number this morning (10th) and tried to sort this payment issue out and they said I will receive two fines (I believe £70 each) and there is nothing I can do about it.

Please give me some advice on what to do

Thanks
Tom


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