Dartford Crossing Payment :(

[Charlotte31]

So, of course I’ve been good at paying my Dartford crossing fee until I crossed 3 times on Thursday!

I forgot until 00:45 (Saturday morning) so paid it 45 mins late, yet I’m panicking I’ll get 3 different fines?? It’s only my first time paying late :/

Has anyone got any similar stories??? 45 minutes late and I’m stressing!!??

[bompey]

No direct experience but it would make sense to set up an online account to automatically collect the fee when you go through. I think it’s cheaper and saves the aggro of paying each time you go through.

[Riley Blue]

You should be fine, I've paid a couple several hours late and heard nothing.

[Charlotte31]

bompey said:

No direct experience but it would make sense to set up an online account to automatically collect the fee when you go through. I think it’s cheaper and saves the aggro of paying each time you go through.

My dad already has an account that he said he’d add me to, I’ll have to keep nagging him until he adds me on!
Thankyou

[Charlotte31]

Riley Blue said:

You should be fine, I've paid a couple several hours late and heard nothing.

Oh thank god! Fingers crossed!
Thankyou!!

[DaveH23]

I've been caught 5 or 6 times, each time just phoned up and paid the fee and they have scrapped the fine.

[Pica-Pica]

bompey said:

No direct experience but it would make sense to set up an online account to automatically collect the fee when you go through. I think it’s cheaper and saves the aggro of paying each time you go through.

Indeed. I have long since moved away, but I still have the account for our two cars, I had the Dart-Tag before that. It costs you just the minimum that is need to keep in the account (£10?), and you save each time.

[Pixelpeep 135]

Riley Blue said:

You should be fined, I've paid a couple several hours late and heard nothing.

efa

[tr7v8]

DaveH23 said:

I've been caught 5 or 6 times, each time just phoned up and paid the fee and they have scrapped the fine.

This, twice very carefully added new car to online account. Then stupidly each time put my private plate on it & forgot to change the DART site. Each time just got charged the £2.50 each way.
What scares me is the people who complain after the event when fined because they didn't read the massive amount & size of signs!

[Charlotte31]

DaveH23 said:

I've been caught 5 or 6 times, each time just phoned up and paid the fee and they have scrapped the fine.

I paid it as soon as I remembered! Just going to wait and see if anything comes in the post, hoping they’re nice about the 45 mins

[996Type]

I let my account run low, called them and they were kind enough to allow me to cover the immediate cost and waive the fine, I’d recommend calling them…

[generationx]

I’ve paid a couple of days late once or twice and heard nothing. You’ll be ok.

[Paulduckworth]

Forgotten to add replacement cars or private plates a couple of times.

Every time I’ve gone online to pay the fine and they’ve automatically reduced it to just the cost of the crossing (first offence, I presume).

It’s great to see a little bit of common sense from the overlords with things like this.

[DaveH23]

Charlotte31 said:

I paid it as soon as I remembered! Just going to wait and see if anything comes in the post, hoping they’re nice about the 45 mins

If you pay after the cut off the balance will show as available for future use as I tried this.

If you log in to your account you should be able to see.

[Another project car]

My cars are all on account but I had a payment declined due to the card being expired. I phoned them and paid my charge and no fine

[Pica-Pica]

Another project car said:

My cars are all on account but I had a payment declined due to the card being expired. I phoned them and paid my charge and no fine

I was advised at least 3 months ahead that my card was expiring, so I was prepared and able to update the card. I am surprised you did not get an advanced warning of a soon-to-expire card.

[Pica-Pica]

996Type said:

I let my account run low, called them and they were kind enough to allow me to cover the immediate cost and waive the fine, I’d recommend calling them…

Auto-top-up is the answer.

[Pedro25]

I live miles away but my daughter is close to the crossing, set up an account and as others have said it just charges me when I use it, remember to update your payment details though. Again as others have said if there is an issue they are probably the best of the bunch in helping you sort out any missed payments, they tend to allow a couple of 'misses' and just take what's due without all the faff of charging you admin fees or an immediate sorry you owe X amount of pounds for a genuine error. Lived in Essex when the bridge was being constructed still annoys me now that we still have to pay to cross the Thames, when once it was paid for it became free to cross according to our wonderful Transport Secretary at the time.

[Another project car]

Pica-Pica said:

Another project car said:

My cars are all on account but I had a payment declined due to the card being expired. I phoned them and paid my charge and no fine

I was advised at least 3 months ahead that my card was expiring, so I was prepared and able to update the card. I am surprised you did not get an advanced warning of a soon-to-expire card.

Tbh I probably did but it's the kind of thing that gets fobbed off for later

[donkmeister]

Another vote for the automated charge system - but they close your account if you don't use the crossing for a year.

So if you don't use it often it's still a good idea to check before a trip, and it's a five minute job to get them to reactivate it if it has lapsed (has to be done over the phone, no automated system).