FPN for DartfordCrossing

Author
Discussion

Steve91

Original Poster:

489 posts

119 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Sup guys.

I made a crossing over the Dartford Bridge in April, and paid immediately (stopped for a break in Thurrock and paid while having a coffee)

Last night i get a letter from the Dart Charge people stating that I haven't paid and I am now subject to a £70 fixed penalty notice. I rung them up and told them that I have evidence that I paid for the single trip (was diverted through the blackwall tunnel on the way down) in the form of a receipt and a bank statement with the money deducted.

The person on the phone told me that they don't have evidence of me making the payment, and if I continue to refuse to pay (which I am, no way am I paying) they will take me to court.

Where do I stand? I offered to send copies of any evidence I have, and for whatever reason they don't want to see it. I'd rather not have to go to court, as even though I know I'll win, it's stress that I don't need.

Also, has anyone else heard of this happening? I was debating whether they send these out in the hope people are dim witted and will pay without any thought.

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Copies of your evidence with a nice polite letter referencing theirs, sent via tracked postage. AFAIK, their next step will be debt collectors, not court, as they arent the Government.

Joeguard1990

1,181 posts

125 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Just take a photocopy of the receipt and a copy of the bank statement and send it back along with the FPN explaining the cost was paid and you have attached the relevant evidence to prove it.

chrisb92

1,051 posts

123 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Slightly different scenario to yours, but back in May i crossed it both ways and was told you could pay at the local Costcutter shop. I went down and explained my journey, but the shop assistant was adamant I only had to pay once, even though I went through the tunnel there and back. Obviously I queried this, but he remained certain this was the case.

Fast forward to Tuesday after work, where I pick up my post to find a WARNING letter, which notified me that I didn't pay the £2.50 on my way back!!! They have given me 14 days to pay up, or I'll receive a £72.50 fine. fking thick shop assistant wasting my time.

jesta1865

3,448 posts

208 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Copies of your evidence with a nice polite letter referencing theirs, sent via tracked postage. AFAIK, their next step will be debt collectors, not court, as they arent the Government.
ok i anal, but iirc if debt collectors get involved and he contacts them and says the payment is in dispute, they had to hand the case back to the original company.

this was what i was told by a guy on the phone from a debt collection firm, when my son's debit card had been stolen, used to open a number of pay-day loans and one particular company would not accept even the crime number from the police and were trying to get back £1500 for a £100 loan. I hop he was right as we have never heard anything again from them.

I would have thought that they had to have some sort of appeal procedure for mistakes, fraud etc.

JustinP1

13,330 posts

229 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
jesta1865 said:
ok i anal
Advertising goods or services can get you banned on this forum.

mgtony

4,013 posts

189 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
It's a total censored up. There is no actual time/date on the receipt for the crossing you want to pay for. Should the OP or his wife crossed in the days or weeks before this crossing and not paid, they may claim the payment that was made was for that crossing. People are having this problem with pool and hirer cars.
Another thread here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

and

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

V8forweekends

2,481 posts

123 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
My Stepdad's crossed once, one way this year (his first and only crossing since the new system). He paid for it online.

He's recently had a PCN - it does show his car on the picture - but he had already paid. Not sure what he's doing about it.

Eclassy

1,201 posts

121 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Send a letter with proof of payment by recorded delivery and ignore any future correpondence from them.

My missus recently received an email from them threatning her to pay for her recent crossing or get a penalty. My missus "wrote off" the car concerned 5 years ago and informed all those that were required.

Even though she closed her Dart Tag account ages ago (paying £15 for the pleasure), the morons at Dart Charge thought it smart to write to her.

jesta1865

3,448 posts

208 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
JustinP1 said:
jesta1865 said:
ok i anal
Advertising goods or services can get you banned on this forum.
that's the problem with this place, one slip of the fingers / tongue and you are in the st! smile

moffat

1,020 posts

224 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
I went through the tunnel and didn't realise that you can't pay as you cross anymore.

Fast forward 4 weeks later and I get a letter stating that if I pay the £2.50 for the crossing I won't get fined the £70.00 which I thought was pretty fair as it was my first time.

Still a complete PIA to have to remember to pay, especially when I rarely use the tunnel / bridge and when I do it's not usually planned.

Aretnap

1,643 posts

150 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Copies of your evidence with a nice polite letter referencing theirs, sent via tracked postage. AFAIK, their next step will be debt collectors, not court, as they arent the Government.
Erm, nope, they are the government (the Highways Agency specifically, IIRC) and the procedure is similar to that for a council PCN. You have to appeal formally to the Dart Charge people (instructions should be on the PCN), and if that's rejected you either pay, or appeal further to the adjudicator. The procedure is set out here.

http://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/homepage/...

No need for a court appearance - if you appeal to the adjudicator it can be done by post or (IIRC) over the phone.

One thing you must not do is ignore it - if you do you'll lose the chance to appeal, the charge will go up, and eventually bailiffs will turn up on your doorstep one morning to tell you that they've clamped your car and you now owe them £hundreds.

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Aretnap said:
Erm, nope, they are the government (the Highways Agency specifically, IIRC) and the procedure is similar to that for a council PCN. You have to appeal formally to the Dart Charge people (instructions should be on the PCN), and if that's rejected you either pay, or appeal further to the adjudicator. The procedure is set out here.

http://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/homepage/...

No need for a court appearance - if you appeal to the adjudicator it can be done by post or (IIRC) over the phone.

One thing you must not do is ignore it - if you do you'll lose the chance to appeal, the charge will go up, and eventually bailiffs will turn up on your doorstep one morning to tell you that they've clamped your car and you now owe them £hundreds.
Fair enough. I thought some French company owned the crossing? How did they get to issue proper penalties then? Ho hum.

AlfaRSpider

152 posts

138 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
OP... This is on watchdog right now.. You most certainly aren't alone. You might want to catch it on iplayer if you miss it.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Fair enough. I thought some French company owned the crossing? How did they get to issue proper penalties then? Ho hum.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1447516&nmt=French+firm+Sanef+awarded+Dartford+Crossing+charges+system
or the official site https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

They have a contact to run it a bit like Midland expessway run the M6 toll and the taxpayer picks up the "shadow tolling" on other motorway contracts, There's about a dozen in England
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_toll


Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 25th June 20:33

shep1001

4,599 posts

188 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Send them your evidence & politely request they cancel the charge. If they refuse bump it up to the adjudicator. I must be on my 10th 'demand' this year because their system is st. I think I shall start charging them £50 each time I have to waste my time dealing with their incompetence.



Edited by shep1001 on Thursday 25th June 21:02

Steve91

Original Poster:

489 posts

119 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the advise guys, and thanks for the heads up regarding Watchdog. Watched it on iPlayer and it agreed with what most of you are saying. I've written them a letter, and will enclose any evidence I have and will post it in the morning. I had no idea that this was as widespread as it appears to be.

I'll 100% keep this updated

eldar

21,614 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th June 2015
quotequote all
Steve91 said:
Thanks for the advise guys, and thanks for the heads up regarding Watchdog. Watched it on iPlayer and it agreed with what most of you are saying. I've written them a letter, and will enclose any evidence I have and will post it in the morning. I had no idea that this was as widespread as it appears to be.

I'll 100% keep this updated
Don't forget to add an invoice for £80 for your time to rectify their errors.

JMGS4

8,733 posts

269 months

Friday 26th June 2015
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Copies of your evidence with a nice polite letter referencing theirs, sent via tracked postage. AFAIK, their next step will be debt collectors, not court, as they arent the Government.
AND a note that you're informing your legal representative to bring charges of harassment against them if they persist???

mygoldfishbowl

3,691 posts

142 months

Friday 26th June 2015
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Fair enough. I thought some French company owned the crossing? How did they get to issue proper penalties then? Ho hum.
Urban myth.