Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: westyuk1 on November 02, 2023, 03:21:11 pm
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If you make a prepayment account, you can top up £10 and then you only pay £2 per crossing, which means for every 4 crossings you get 1 for free. It also eliminates the risk of these sorts of issues, as they send you an email warning when your balance is low and needs topping up.
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Sorry to march out of step but...your account rather dances around issues and omits important matters.
The PCN in question relates to a crossing on 16 Aug.
What you've posted relates to crossings on 3 and 19 Aug.
In respect of both the above crossings they notified you in writing that payment had failed using the declared card. So....
What did you do on those occasions, and
If you paid, by what method*, and
Did you receive a similar notification regarding the crossing on 16th, and
If so, what did you do?
*- if using the same card details in all respects as you'd declared when re-validating, then IMO this evidence would carry far more weight than your assertions - and this is all they are - that there was a 'Dart Charge Admin. Error'.
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OK, a satisfactory result, but I have to say I think I would be strongly tempted to raise a complaint at their blatantly ignoring their IT issues. The letter basically tells you it is all your own fault !
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Well..I got a response back today and the Dart CS rep has refused my challenge but canceled the charge and just asked for the crossing payments.
I'm happy with the fine being removed but they haven't even acknowledged the issues they are facing. I expect there will be a lot of people in the same boat who will pay up for a quicker resolution.
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To be honest Dart Charge is a very reasonable authority and if you submit copies of all the relevant documents, I'd expect them to cancel the penalty charge.
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There is no statutory time limit for service of DC PCN's but more than 3 months would likely be deemed as to long to be fair
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Is there a time limit for the issue of PCNs, as payment aside, this was issued after 70 days?
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Sounds like you have an absolutely cast-iron slam-dunk case to take to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, but before you can get there, you need to submit reps against the PCN and get a rejection of reps, (of course they may accept them). Whatever you do, do not ignore the PCN
You need to tell them what you have told us, and include copies of all the documents and emails.
I would also suggest you now make direct payments for crossings until the matter is sorted out. What a load of muppets they are !
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I've received two PCNs from the Department for Transport today for their error in failing to take automatic payment for a Dartford Bridge crossing.
As confirmed by the Customer Service manager I've been speaking to, the company the Government used to handle admin and collect the PCN's was split from one into two separate companies July 28th.
This meant they needed all users to re-register card details which has turned into a fiasco.
In short, I updated card details online as requested but payments weren't being taken despite valid details.
Apologies if this raft of emails from the provider below (also attached) aren't easy to follow but I need to include it for context.
Order of emails
1. 20/07/23 - Notice of the service provider change.
2. 15/08/23 - 21:51 - Email confirmation my payment method update completed via their online site.
3. 15/08/23 - 22:39 - Email to inform account payment failed. (Card details were correct so it was an admin error on their side)
Also noted with: 'Due to service issues users have faced since the implementation of the new service we have extended payment deadlines to ensure everyone has sufficient time to take action.'
4. 16/08/23 - 11:27 - Email confirmation account reactivated
5. 16/08/23 - 11:27 - Email confirmation (again) my payment method
completed via their online site a second time.
6. 20/08/23 - 19:13 - Email confirmation payment failed and the account suspended
(admin error their side)
7. 20/08/23 - 19:15 - Final Email received - confirmation our payment method completed via their online site a third time.
(https://imgur.com/J9IJav2)
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I tried speaking to both the admin and PCN departments and they both blamed each other and transferred back and forth before insisting on a dispute online.
Objections
1. DfT's administrative system (contracted to Emovis Operations Leeds Ltd) for payments is not working.
2. Date of PCN issue was 1/11/23 but the supposed infraction was August 16, ten weeks prior.
I'd appreciate any advice on this.
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