Busted Again - What's Going On ?!

[Snibo]

Not Speeding this time (previous thread 35mph in a 30mph) but something called a Dart Charge - WTF !?

It's some sort of road crossing (presumably near Dartford) which you have to pay for crossing in advance.
Unlike the Severn Bridge where you have to stop and pay at the Toll, this seems some new fangled scheme where you've already pre-paid and drive straight through.

Anyway, got a Dart Charge Penalty Notice for using it last month.
Only thing is:

1) It's not my car
2) I've never used the Dartford Crossing
3) Not even quite sure where it is.

There's two minute pictures, although the registration is clearly one letter different to my reg.
It's a B on my reg and a D in the picture.

The grainy picture also shows the sheen off a metal roof - mine's fabric.

Got to waste my time / effort now submitting a Representation to explain that it's not my car / penalty notice.

AND

You can't even do it on line. You have to do a paper submission.
What happened to the Government's Digital by Default Agenda.

 

[cuke2u]

S**t happens....

 

[Simon L]

S**t happens....

......yep, I'm over it

 

[cuke2u]

Its happened to a fair number of drivers and many have been charged twice also...

 

[pburv]

Not Speeding this time (previous thread 35mph in a 30mph) but something called a Dart Charge - WTF !?

It's some sort of road crossing (presumably near Dartford) which you have to pay for crossing in advance.
Unlike the Severn Bridge where you have to stop and pay at the Toll, this seems some new fangled scheme where you've already pre-paid and drive straight through.

Anyway, got a Dart Charge Penalty Notice for using it last month.
Only thing is:

1) It's not my car
2) I've never used the Dartford Crossing
3) Not even quite sure where it is.

There's two minute pictures, although the registration is clearly one letter different to my reg.
It's a B on my reg and a D in the picture.

The grainy picture also shows the sheen off a metal roof - mine's fabric.

Got to waste my time / effort now submitting a Representation to explain that it's not my car / penalty notice.

AND

You can't even do it on line. You have to do a paper submission.
What happened to the Government's Digital by Default Agenda.

You need one of these......

 

[Simon L]

You need one of these......

Lol....................that's a cracker matey!!

 

[S32B]

Well this will brighten things up! At the lights this morning (two lanes to go straight on 40mph limit), a police car pulls along side of me to the right. The lights went to green and I accelerated 'quickly' to 40 Next set of lights the same police car pulls along side me again, I glance over and the driver is smiling at me and nods his head Either an Audi fan or thought is was amusing that he didn't intimidate me lol........or I'm getting a ticket in the post!!!

 

[Simon L]

Well this will brighten things up! At the lights this morning (two lanes to go straight on 40mph limit), a police car pulls along side of me to the right. The lights went to green and I accelerated 'quickly' to 40 Next set of lights the same police car pulls along side me again, I glance over and the driver is smiling at me and nods his head Either an Audi fan or thought is was amusing that he didn't intimidate me lol........or I'm getting a ticket in the post!!!

Yer getting a ticket...................they probably just changed that stretch to a 30!!

 

[pburv]

Well this will brighten things up! At the lights this morning (two lanes to go straight on 40mph limit), a police car pulls along side of me to the right. The lights went to green and I accelerated 'quickly' to 40 Next set of lights the same police car pulls along side me again, I glance over and the driver is smiling at me and nods his head Either an Audi fan or thought is was amusing that he didn't intimidate me lol........or I'm getting a ticket in the post!!!

Lol..A brave man indeed...

 

[Snibo]

Its happened to a fair number of drivers and many have been charged twice also...

Hmmm......didn't think of that.
Bet it's an Audi Driver who can't be bothered / too arrogant to pre-pay the charge, so may do it more than once.

My moneys on the lazy Civil Servant who couldn't be bothered to check the Number Plate properly.

All interesting stuff though.

 

[sjbarneS3]

......yep, I'm over it

Garden centres get you over anything....

 

[Wondering Soul]

Hmmm......didn't think of that.
Bet it's an Audi Driver who can't be bothered / too arrogant to pre-pay the charge, so may do it more than once.

My moneys on the lazy Civil Servant who couldn't be bothered to check the Number Plate properly.

All interesting stuff though.

This exact crossing has been mentioned here before and someone had exactly the same issue. Last time I read about it it was a cloned registration that caught someone out!

 

[HawkeyeS3]

I use it all the time, have to say a number of people have been caught out like this, or even double charged.

You can do a complaint via an online form, scroll down the bottom here https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge to enquiries or complaints, where it directs you to an online form, one of the options being penalty charge.

 

[cuke2u]

Hmmm......didn't think of that.
Bet it's an Audi Driver who can't be bothered / too arrogant to pre-pay the charge, so may do it more than once.

My moneys on the lazy Civil Servant who couldn't be bothered to check the Number Plate properly.

All interesting stuff though.

It's not the civil service either as the government pays a private company to manage it all, a French company Sanef Tolling https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/ has a 10-year contract worth up to £367million to run the system for the Government, which retains ownership of the tolled crossing...

 

[Simon L]

Hmmm......didn't think of that.
Bet it's an Audi Driver who can't be bothered / too arrogant to pre-pay the charge, so may do it more than once.

My moneys on the lazy Civil Servant who couldn't be bothered to check the Number Plate properly.

All interesting stuff though.

.....yep, very very interesting indeed...............

 

[sjbarneS3]

.....yep, very very interesting indeed...............

lol

 

[pburv]

.....yep, very very interesting indeed...............

lol

 

[Snibo]

You can do a complaint via an online form, scroll down the bottom here https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge to enquiries or complaints, where it directs you to an online form, one of the options being penalty charge.

Thanks for the Link.

 

[Snibo]

It's not the civil service either as the government pays a private company.....

Thanks for the update.
Says Department of Transport on the PCN.

Got to go and buy a stamp now - there's a blast from the past.

 

[MrMoo28]

Send it without a stamp then they'll have to pay postage!

 

[lenny151]

Had a ticket the same come through on mine from the previous owner rang up think it was only about a couple of pound so just paid it couldn't be bothered with the hassle.

 

[Snibo]

Had a ticket the same come through on mine from the previous owner
rang up think it was only about a couple of pound so just paid it couldn't be bothered with the hassle.

Wasn't a PCN then.
While the Dart Charge is stated as being £2.50 that's if you actually pay in advance.

Once you get the PCN, it's £70.
If you pay within a certain number of days, it's £35.
If you don't pay within another number of days, it's £105.

And you have to also pay the original £2.50 on top of the fine.
Not sure how you got away with paying the original fee only.

The PCN needs to be re-directed to the correct vehicle owner, otherwise s/he'll be constantly using the Dartford Crossing while I'm picking up his fines. Ain't going to happen !!


Stamps have certainly changed as well.
One I've got has the word large printed on it for some reason ?!

Again, all interesting stuff that continually increases my knowledge and shows me elements of life that I really didn't want - or need.

 

[SootySport]

You can phone them ,number is on the website.

 

[lenny151]

Give them a ring, At first I thought it was £75 but when I rang up it was only couple of pound. I will try and find my letter I received an post a pic.

 

[Snibo]

Good News.

Letter received today (9 March 2016) from Dart Charge stating that the PCN issued to me has been cancelled after they reviewed my Representation and their footage / documentation.

Pleased that it's been sorted.
Not pleased that I got it in the first place.

Ah well, more life experience gained along with knowledge of the Dartford Crossing and the associated charges.

 

[SootySport]

If it's your first offence of not paying the toll, you receive a PCN but a period of grace has been given (don't know how long this will last) for you to pay the £2.50 toll fee instead of the £35/£70 fine. The signage at the Dartford Crossing is not really up to much and you can't write down the phone number whilst you are driving or remember the website to go to and pay the toll fee. There are the large red 'C' signs which are also used for the congestion signs in London and most of us who live around London know what they are but if you are from further away, you'll have no idea what they mean.
Foreign drivers get away without paying altogether, my German cousin has been through there about 20 times but never received a fine or demand for the Toll fee, he's not going to volunteer payment either.

Coming to the M25 in 2017----------------Yes, you guessed it motorway tolls