Dartford crossing

[Northernraider]

for the sake of £2.50 is it worth not paying it up front, he says he has been over it before so cant really say he didnt know about it never mind all the signs.

I was over it once a year ago and because @Riverbankannie reminded me on here to pay it I did.

This time I forgot it's that simple...It's a £6 charge I've no issue paying that

I have an issue paying a £70 fine because I forgot.


We don't have stupid toll bridges in Scotland and when we did you stopped at the kiosk and laid it when you crossed like sensible folk.

It's a stupid system

 

[DJA]

Advice to drivers of tall vehicles
If you are driving a tall vehicle, you need to ensure you get in the correct lane as soon as possible after junction 2 to avoid being in the wrong lane. New signs will inform you which lane you should choose.

The northbound carriageway now divides just after the junction 1a exit slip road, with the two inside lanes (left-hand lanes) dedicated to the west tunnel and two outside lanes (right-hand lanes) dedicated to the east tunnel. Vehicles joining at junction 1a can only access the two inside lanes and use the west tunnel.

Tunnel height restrictions are 4.8m for the west tunnel and 5.0m for the east tunnel. Vehicles joining at junction 1a can only access the two inside lanes and use the west tunnel, and therefore vehicles over 4.8m in height are prohibited from using the slip road and should, if under 5m, use junction 1b.

Drivers who fail to use the correct lanes will be in violation of traffic regulations and could face enforcement action from the DVSA – potentially a fine and points on their licence.

 

[iandsm]

It's unfair to be given a maximum of 24 hours to pay it or a £70 penalty is issued.

You seriously telling me you think that's fair?
Forgetting to pay a £6 toll within 24 hours justifies a fine ? .....a fine greater than a speeding fine etc?

That's unfair.

I simply forgot I didn't commit a crime, if it was something I encountered everyday I would be less inclined to forget , there are signs for 5 minutes after you criss it then bugger all but crazy busy roads and barricaded laybys. The first stop I did afyer that was at the channel tunnel.

As others have said it's remarkably easy to forget.
I wasn't trying to avoid paying it ...I FORGOT and as soon as I was reminded ie this morning I emailed them to explain and then I phoned.

I offered to pay it over the phone they said I couldnt do that .....That's unfair


I won't receive the letter as I'm not there and my mother is in hospital.

I won't be back for months by which time they will have no doubt sent several letters that won't be received.


There are no two ways about it it's unfair.

You say yourself you have been over previously and paid and you mention five minutes of signs. Your penalty might be rather high, I agree with your on that but given you know the score, it’s hardly unfair.

 

[DJA]

Hi @Northernraider

Seems to me that as you nearly didn't pay the first time you crossed and now you have forgotten the second time that you consider prepaying before you set off.

If you forget to prepay before you set off it looks like you should go around the other way.

If you forget to go round the other way try to remember where you are going!!!!!

You are lucky that the Toll roads in Scotland have largely been made free. They removed the Toll Booths at the Dartford Tunnel to try to speed up the flow of traffic because the queues were horrendous both ways. The North to South route is certainly better now but the South to North still experiences long Queues and the resultant pollution.

 

[Northernraider]

You say yourself you have been over previously and paid and you mention five minutes of signs. Your penalty might be rather high, I agree with your on that but given you know the score, it’s hardly unfair.

See my above response

I've crossed it once before


The signs are for a few miles after the crossing where it's impossible to stop and pay it.

I simply forgot. ..there's no justifiable reason why there's a 24 hour limit to pay it and I'll guarantee there's many folk have forgot.

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[Eggs]

I was over it once a year ago and because @Riverbankannie reminded me on here to pay it I did.

This time I forgot it's that simple...It's a £6 charge I've no issue paying that

I have an issue paying a £70 fine because I forgot.


We don't have stupid toll bridges in Scotland and when we did you stopped at the kiosk and laid it when you crossed like sensible folk.

It's a stupid system

I'm afraid I've got to disagree with you. As someone who lives on the Suffolk/Essex border I do quite a bit of work in Kent, so I use the crossing a few times each month. The Crossing is still massively congested, it was many times worse when vehicles had to stop to pay, oh, and anyone driving a LHD had to get out of the cab and walk around to pay.

 

[Northernraider]

Hi @Northernraider

Seems to me that as you nearly didn't pay the first time you crossed and now you have forgotten the second time that you consider prepaying before you set off.

If you forget to prepay before you set off it looks like you should go around the other way.

If you forget to go round the other way try to remember where you are going!!!!!

You are lucky that the Toll roads in Scotland have largely been made free. They removed the Toll Booths at the Dartford Tunnel to try to speed up the flow of traffic because the queues were horrendous both ways. The North to South route is certainly better now but the South to North still experiences long Queues and the resultant pollution.

To be honest I never even thought about pre paying or knew that you could. The first I remembered about the crossing was the say before I done it as I was talking to folk on here about my thoughts of being 2 hours from folkestone etc.

I'm never in that area exceot on these 2 occasions obviously.

I just fail to see why it's a 24 hour payment period.

 

[Mikey RV]

Advice to drivers of tall vehicles
If you are driving a tall vehicle, you need to ensure you get in the correct lane as soon as possible after junction 2 to avoid being in the wrong lane. New signs will inform you which lane you should choose.

The northbound carriageway now divides just after the junction 1a exit slip road, with the two inside lanes (left-hand lanes) dedicated to the west tunnel and two outside lanes (right-hand lanes) dedicated to the east tunnel. Vehicles joining at junction 1a can only access the two inside lanes and use the west tunnel.

Tunnel height restrictions are 4.8m for the west tunnel and 5.0m for the east tunnel. Vehicles joining at junction 1a can only access the two inside lanes and use the west tunnel, and therefore vehicles over 4.8m in height are prohibited from using the slip road and should, if under 5m, use junction 1b.

Drivers who fail to use the correct lanes will be in violation of traffic regulations and could face enforcement action from the DVSA – potentially a fine and points on their licence.

we are 3m so can go in any lane. We will be heading north and get on the M25 at Sevenoaks coming up the A21.

 

[DJA]

Hi @Northernraider

We live local to the Tunnel and actually have some sympathy for those that rarely use it, particularly for the first time.

I don't think the signage is very good at all and is in my view totally inadequate and is mostly only within a short distance of the Crossing. For example No where do they say on the signs that you can use Payzone. We have friends who have no Computers or Smart phones so how do they find out how to pay.

 

[Two on Tour]

@Northernraider your best bet is to setup a "pay as you go" account for future dartford crossings.
I have got close to forgetting to pay on more than one occasions so have set up a "pay as you go" account which automatically charges your card each time you cross, so no chance of forgetting or forgetting you have run out of pre pay credits.

https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/PayAsYouGo/PayAsYouGoAccountSetup

Might be worth setting up an account sooner rather than later, then sending a begging letter again to the crossing authorities saying that you have set up an account so it will not happen again so please let me off the crossing you forgot.

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[Allanm]

It's unfair to be given a maximum of 24 hours to pay it or a £70 penalty is issued.

You seriously telling me you think that's fair?
Forgetting to pay a £6 toll within 24 hours justifies a fine ? .....a fine greater than a speeding fine etc?

That's unfair.

I simply forgot I didn't commit a crime, if it was something I encountered everyday I would be less inclined to forget , there are signs for 5 minutes after you criss it then bugger all but crazy busy roads and barricaded laybys. The first stop I did afyer that was at the channel tunnel.

As others have said it's remarkably easy to forget.
I wasn't trying to avoid paying it ...I FORGOT and as soon as I was reminded ie this morning I emailed them to explain and then I phoned.

I offered to pay it over the phone they said I couldnt do that .....That's unfair


I won't receive the letter as I'm not there and my mother is in hospital.

I won't be back for months by which time they will have no doubt sent several letters that won't be received.


There are no two ways about it it's unfair.

It is a terrible system of paying, more than likely a deliberate act by the tunnel authorities to encourage non payment in an attempt fill their coffers faster.
I feel sorry for foreigners who won’t understand the system and who don’t understand the signs. The signs with the toll charge costs are easy to miss and the reminder signs mean nothing if English isn’t your first language.
£70 fine is way over top for forgetting to pay £2.50, but then again, it is London and compared to the huge LEZ fines, it’s quite small

 

[Allanm]

Hi @Mikey RV

.........
Do you know anyone that has an account who could add you to their account to cover your crossing and you can square up when you see them.

That assumes anyone trusts you for £2.00

Doug

You will need to be registered on an account, whether your own or someone else’s, before you cross.

 

[Northernraider]

Hi @Northernraider

We live local to the Tunnel and actually have some sympathy for those that rarely use it, particularly for the first time.

I don't think the signage is very good at all and is in my view totally inadequate and is mostly only within a short distance of the Crossing. For example No where do they say on the signs that you can use Payzone. We have friends who have no Computers or Smart phones so how do they find out how to pay.

Yes I agree

@Northernraider your best bet is to setup a "pay as you go" account for future dartford crossings.
I have got close to forgetting to pay on more than one occasions so have set up a "pay as you go" account which automatically charges your card each time you cross, so no chance of forgetting or forgetting you have run out of pre pay credits.

https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/PayAsYouGo/PayAsYouGoAccountSetup

Might be worth setting up an account sooner rather than later, then sending a begging letter again to the crossing authorities saying that you have set up an account so it will not happen again so please let me off the crossing you forgot.

Yeah I think I'll do that just in case ...although I don't think it's something I will use often.

 

[Two on Tour]

...although I don't think it's something I will use often.

More likely to forget again then if you do.

 

[gus-lopez]

It's unfair to be given a maximum of 24 hours to pay it or a £70 penalty is issued.

Quite agree. It is just a money earner & nothing else.

, it’s hardly unfair.

It certainly is .! It should be free! It was stated categorically from the outset that once paid for it would be free. Itw as paid for within 4 years although they cooked the books ,added interest on interest, dreamt up others who 'had to be paid' , then the approach road were added on,etc;etc; then finally had to introduce a charging scheme , another con introduced on any road/crossing over 600m in length ,to make the scam legal.

.there's no justifiable reason why there's a 24 hour limit

None whatsoever except to scam 'fines' out of people.

I don't think the signage is very good at all and is in my view totally inadequate and is mostly only within a short distance of the Crossing.

Your quite right it is on par with the LEZ signage which even for an EFL is easily missable, tells you nothing unless you already know what it is referring to & there's no hope for a foreigner who ,like me , assumes a road is for driving on , not a means for scamming money.

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[gus-lopez]

, it is London and compared to the huge LEZ fines, it’s quite small

Which themselves are disgusting & if anyone attempted to fine me those amounts it would be cheaper to have them shot. & would relieve the anger & frustration.

 

[Puddleduck]

It's a pain in the backside. I'm sure if it's something you live near or use frequently the idea is fine but I've been over it once before In my life , the roads and traffic you hit after take your concentration and then if you be other things on your mind like trains or ferries to catch like me you can easily forget.

It was only because I had seen it on here that I knew about it and could prepay. I would not open an account as would probably use it once every three years! Trying to find somewhere to pay after crossing is a PITA. I have no problem with there being a toll, it would be nice to be able to actually pay it easily though! A phone number on a sign when you are driving isn't very helpful - and some people don't have smart phones (or any mobile phone) never mind internet access when on the move.

I was able to alert my brother-in-law that the toll booths had gone when they were emigrating as he didn't know. He thought it would be easy to pay on the way through but I suggested he pay in advance as "it would be one less thing to try to remember" - luckily he took up mu suggestion and was grateful.

The signs are for a few miles after the crossing where it's impossible to stop and pay it.

There is a pay motorway round Dublin with big signs as you go onto it. I am not sure how long you have to pay but just before and just after the toll part there are services and a notice that says you can pay the toll at any of their services (it's on the exit sign for the services). I think other services around the area have the same sign and there are plenty of the service areas and they are clean and not overly busy. That is what we did, just stopped and paid the toll at the services shop plus got some sweets I think

The Dartford signs are there but I wonder how many foreign drivers know what they mean or how to pay?

 

[iandsm]

Hi @Northernraider

We live local to the Tunnel and actually have some sympathy for those that rarely use it, particularly for the first time.

I don't think the signage is very good at all and is in my view totally inadequate and is mostly only within a short distance of the Crossing. For example No where do they say on the signs that you can use Payzone. We have friends who have no Computers or Smart phones so how do they find out how to pay.

Quite so,

Quite agree. It is just a money earner & nothing else.
It certainly is .! It should be free! It was stated categorically from the outset that once paid for it would be free. Itw as paid for within 4 years although they cooked the books ,added interest on interest, dreamt up others who 'had to be paid' , then the approach road were added on,etc;etc; then finally had to introduce a charging scheme , another con introduced on any road/crossing over 600m in length ,to make the scam legal.


None whatsoever except to scam 'fines' out of people.


Your quite right it is on par with the LEZ signage which even for an EFL is easily missable, tells you nothing unless you already know what it is referring to & there's no hope for a foreigner who ,like me , assumes a road is for driving on , not a means for scamming money.

Yes I remember the promises that it would be free after the building costs had been recouped. I think that was never going to happen. Where would they have got the money to pay staff for the tollbooths. Even now they don’t have the booths but they still have to pay staff and repairs. It’s mever going to be free.

 

[DJA]

Yes I remember the promises that it would be free after the building costs had been recouped. I think that was never going to happen. Where would they have got the money to pay staff for the tollbooths. Even now they don’t have the booths but they still have to pay staff and repairs. It’s mever going to be free.

The First Tunnel was first Opened in 1963 with one lane in each direction and charging 12.5p, just over £2 at todays value, and designed to cope with up to 12,000 vehicles a day. The second Tunnel was opened in 1980 and then the bridge in 1991.

It was announced in 1996 the the tunnel would be paid for in 2003 and I think it was agreed it had been paid for by March 2002. In 2000 the government passed the necessary legislation to continue charging and with the second Tunnel and Bridge and 4 lanes each way is now trying to cope with 50,000,000+ crossings a year. It has been suggested that if they were to stop charging, as they have just done with the Severn Crossing, the demand could increase by as much as 20%. I dread to think what effect t another 10,000,000 crossings would have..

They would not have to pay the French Company that runs the toll charging and the Tunnel authority probably would not have to employ any more staff. They already manage the maintenance etc of the Crossing which are no more or less than Bridges and tunnels elsewhere on our road network which are Toll Free.

Doug

 

[Puddleduck]

Being stuck in the north bound queue last October (2 or 3 hours as there had been an incident) makes me think that the Newcastle ferry might be worth the extra money.

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[Drexxer]

and then going up north

How far oop north are you going Mikey?

 

[Riverbankannie]

I was over it once a year ago and because @Riverbankannie reminded me on here to pay it I did.

This time I forgot it's that simple...It's a £6 charge I've no issue paying that

I have an issue paying a £70 fine because I forgot.


We don't have stupid toll bridges in Scotland and when we did you stopped at the kiosk and laid it when you crossed like sensible folk.

It's a stupid system

I’ve only just caught up with your thread as I’ve been away in Devon travelling last Thursday too! Sorry I wasn’t around to remind you this time.
I agree, it’s a stupid system, luckily we never have to go that way round the M25. We have come across a similar bridge somewhere we’ve been, in New Zealand maybe north of Auckland? Didn't realise we had to pull into a service station beforehand and pay. Thankfully, I managed to sort it out over the phone at our next campsite. When you are concentrating on the road and where you are trying to get to then it’s easy to misunderstand the signs. I think I realised it was a toll bridge and had got money ready but expected to find a toll booth.

 

[Eggs]

misunderstanding the signs?, there are miles of them! Do you honestly think in this day and age people want to be stopping to pay at booths?

The crossing is congested enough without people stopping to pay.

 

[Ivory55]

There is very little free in the uk today. It’s best to assume you have to pay and if you don’t it’s a bonus.

 

[DJA]

misunderstanding the signs?, there are miles of them!

I would hardly say there are miles of signs.

If you are joining from the A2 coming from the M2 direction there is a sign before you turn off immediately followed by one saying there is the LEZ ahead. If you don't know does the LEZ apply as well. There is another sign before the last exit before the tunnel and about 2 within about 3 miles after the Tunnel.

These signs refer to the Dartford Crossing and say find it online and pay before Midnight Tomorrow. Non of the signs show £ signs or an indication of Costs. There have been occasionally smaller signs low at the side behind the barriers with some cost indications but with the amount of traffic it is not difficult to miss these.

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[Zains Pops]

Buy a vehicle with Bulgarian plates and drive through free like all the others.

 

[Eggs]

I would hardly say there are miles of signs.

If you are joining from the A2 coming from the M2 direction there is a sign before you turn off immediately followed by one saying there is the LEZ ahead. If you don't know does the LEZ apply as well. There is another sign before the last exit before the tunnel and about 2 within about 3 miles after the Tunnel.

These signs refer to the Dartford Crossing and say find it online and pay before Midnight Tomorrow. Non of the signs show £ signs or an indication of Costs. There have been occasionally smaller signs low at the side behind the barriers with some cost indications but with the amount of traffic it is not difficult to miss these.

I see what you mean.

 

[dutts303]

It's a pain in the backside. I'm sure if it's something you live near or use frequently the idea is fine but I've been over it once before In my life , the roads and traffic you hit after take your concentration and then if you be other things on your mind like trains or ferries to catch like me you can easily forget.
If it hadn't been for this thread I might not have remembered it at all.
It was Thursday I crossed not Wednesday and as I'm not at home address any mail they send won't be picked up as mum's in hospital and I don't get much mail anyway.

I've emailed them to explain I'd forgot and I'm out the country etc ...I can only wait for their reply.

But I'll be challenging any fine as I think it's unfair.

If your experience is anything like mine, I was let off a fine and as it was my first “offense” asked to just pay the initial charge.

I had the same problem a year or so ago; never crossed it before as never needed to but was driving down to catch a ferry, mind on the ferry times and the onward journey and then by the time I got to France completely forgot to pay it. Got home to a letter a fortnight later explaining that as it was my first time I could just pay the charge.

Thought that was quite fair and reasonable, Hope they still do it.

Contrast that to the time I forgot to pay the congestion charge... ooof

 

[DJA]

And these

 

[Northernraider]

If your experience is anything like mine, I was let off a fine and as it was my first “offense” asked to just pay the initial charge.

I had the same problem a year or so ago; never crossed it before as never needed to but was driving down to catch a ferry, mind on the ferry times and the onward journey and then by the time I got to France completely forgot to pay it. Got home to a letter a fortnight later explaining that as it was my first time I could just pay the charge.

Thought that was quite fair and reasonable, Hope they still do it.

Contrast that to the time I forgot to pay the congestion charge... ooof

Hopefully that's what the letter I get says ...the unhelpful woman on the phone waant very clear this morning she just kept saying I couldn't pay it now I had to wait for the penalty notice letter. So looking online I saw it said a £70 fine for not paying



I'm happy to pay the charge which going by the dart charge website when I enter my reg number it says £6 which is fair enough

Just have to get my sister to take a photo of the letter and send it to me once it arrives

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