Dartford Crossing

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My problem is I cross occasionally in a hire van/car and can’t set up an account because I would end up paying for other people who have hired said vans/cars.
Is there an app that logs you and sends you a text reminder?


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I use the crossing 6 times a year in hire cars, in addition to my useage in my own car.
In the hire cars, I pay after I cross
Do it before midnight the day after crossing
Havn't forgotten yet.

Simplz
 
As an add on, I just sold my S211, and I am trying to work out how to delete the car on the dart website. Anyone done that ?
(New person)
 
As an add on, I just sold my S211, and I am trying to work out how to delete the car on the dart website. Anyone done that ?
(New person)

If you mean the Dart Charge site then it looks pretty straightforward? Ticking the 'remove' box on any line activates the 'Remove Vehicles' button below:

Capture.JPG
 
Thanks for the picture, it must have been as I only had ONE car ( or because it wouldn’t fit phone screen)...but I added my smart car -which I will never drive from Truro to London -and the remove boxes appeared...so I could remove the S211....and the account is still ready for when I find an S212!
 
I don't think the website will tell you. If you haven't paid by midnight the day after you crossed you're already too late. If on the other hand you've paid in advance you can check how much credit you have left but I'm pretty sure it will not tell you how much yo

You do get a reminder letter in the post if it is your first time of not paying, and if you pay the crossing fee promptly with the reference from the letter you are safe.
It is just a one off, one time thing though. I know this after crossing in the a newly purchased car and totally forgetting about it in the new car excitement! :)
 
I had the displeasure of using the Dartford Crossing for the first time (there and back) when I recently drove to a family funeral in Maidstone.
I expected there to be a toll ... Didn't know for sure ... Didn't know how much.
I foolishly expected it to be so simple ..... chuck some specified amount in a bucket.
Oh No ..... How to make a simple thing difficult.
As I approached, nothing told me how much.
There were signs about internet payment ..... Not very helpful, as I hadn't taken my lap-top with me.
There was no bucket.
As I drove thru, it was far from clear what had just happened.

When I got to the Premier Inn in Maidstone, the receptionist was incredibly helpful, and tried (but failed) to use their system to enable me to pay by card.
But then ..... The truth comes out
"Everyone round here detests it".
"It was built by the French and we've been robbed ever since".
"Promises have been broken regarding removing the charge".

She couldn't make the Dartford system work.
Later on, my partner managed to make a payment for both crossings using a phone.
In all - It wasted us about an hour and a half to avoid what we believed was a fine looming over us.
[I've learned better, having read this post]

Why the French ?
I'm an engineer - I inspect bridges - We can build bridges.
Why such a pantomime for someone who is unfamiliar with the system there ?
I can't help but feel that it is symptomatic of what a dysfunctional country we live in.
 
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actually it works very well IMO, once you have registered your car(s)

cheaper too if you are registered and it’s automatic
 
Well I can understand how awkward it would be for somebody who has never used the Dartford crossing before,the present system is by far the best it has ever been,what I and many others want to know is when will it be free ,as that has been promised at least three times over the years,as you found out the best way in your position is to ring up and pay over the phone,I use the crossing much less now but with your car registered and auto payment it is easy.
 
Paying by phone is probably easiest if you get caught unawares ... I guess displaying the number near the crossing would be somewhat of a hazard as people would slow down to try and read it etc.

IIRC you can actually pay by post as well (or maybe that's been dropped now).
 
Thank goodness I only use the Severn Bridge
 
.... what I and many others want to know is when will it be free ,as that has been promised at least three times over the years.

It's certainly not easy for the unaccustomed user.
The locals in Maidstone are furious about the continuing charges.
I don't blame them.
 
Should be simple.

How do I check if I need to pay? I can only find a 'check which ones you've paid for after you've paid' but I can't find out if I need to?
Its a trick, you pay anyway if you dont know :D
 
Got an account with them and did the same for the congestion charge. Much easier in the long run and never forget to pay again.
 
So today I got an email from them as below. I've written to customer services pointing out that I already have a balance so don't want to top up any further, and due to COVID I'm not in a position to make any crossings in the near future. I assume I'm not the only one affected by this ...


1592383398323.png
 
Or the other option is to get your Wife to set up an account in her name on her car for frequent trips to Lakeside. So that whenever you need to actually go through the tunnel for something actually important you can take her car and use her fuel and get her to pay the crossing charge :) :) :)
 
So today I got an email from them as below. I've written to customer services pointing out that I already have a balance so don't want to top up any further, and due to COVID I'm not in a position to make any crossings in the near future. I assume I'm not the only one affected by this ...


View attachment 98060

Is this a effectively a threat to confiscate your balance?
Or are you expected to jump through hoops to recover it?
 
Or the other option is to get your Wife to set up an account in her name on her car for frequent trips to Lakeside. So that whenever you need to actually go through the tunnel for something actually important you can take her car and use her fuel and get her to pay the crossing charge :) :) :)

Unfortunately we use the crossing to get to dog shows (which are all cancelled this year) while towing the caravan with the Vito!
 
Is this a effectively a threat to confiscate your balance?
Or are you expected to jump through hoops to recover it?

I'd have to look through the T&Cs but I suspect you do lose your balance if they close your account. Normally I would always do at least a couple of crossings each way in a year, but COVID has changed that.
 

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