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Original poster

Dartford Crossing

52 replies

SuperGinger · 31/07/2023 16:13

I crossed on Saturday despite my best efforts I cannot pay, the website is down, they were doing maintenance on it and I've tried a few times but apparently I'm in a queue which doesn't seem to move AiBU to think they need to waive the charge? Anyone else in the same situation?

OP posts:
SaturdayGiraffe · 31/07/2023 16:16

Try calling 0300 300 0120

Amethystanddiamonds · 31/07/2023 16:21

Also crossed Saturday. Also in a queue to pay. Might have missed the payment window as I'm at work and I've got meetings etc and been put back in the queue but don't actually think I've got anywhere!

Flipin · 31/07/2023 16:24

I was waiting four hours before I could pay, but it's telling me that I've made no crossings. I've put £5 on my account and hope that's good enough. Such a PITA.

TheThingIsYeah · 31/07/2023 16:26

Don't they do UAT on these new systems? Shambles.

Keep me posted how you get on as I crossed the bridge today. I'm not spending all day in an online queue when I can be doing useful things like looking outside the window at the pissing rain.

Elizabeth110100 · 31/07/2023 16:29

They do let you off the first time. I know it's not ideal though.

Original poster
SuperGinger · 31/07/2023 17:14

It also said I'd made no crossings when I got there, what a mess! I hardly ever go over it so I'm a PAYG customer.

OP posts:
Amethystanddiamonds · 31/07/2023 17:38

I haven't even got an account as we only cross once in a blue moon on our travels to Dover. Sat in the queue for 7 hours at work then I've had to shut the work PC down. Might just wait for the PCN and then present multiple photos of my intention to pay!

FrenchandSaunders · 31/07/2023 17:39

Take some screen shots of the queue etc

Kazziek · 31/07/2023 17:41

It's because of the changeover to the new contractor. The website is still being rebooted. It did say that crossings over the weekend would have til 1 August for payments. Once the website is back, you will need to log in to your account and reset the password.
Can't link from phone, but info freely available from Darford crossing site, Highways agency site and Essex/Kent local news sites

needanotherhol · 31/07/2023 20:11

I also crossed (after sitting in a long queue at the tunnel!) on Saturday and still been unable to pay. Tried at lunchtime on my work computer and said I was in queue and still not been admitted. Have taken some screenshots on both my computer and phone and will try again tomorrow. No way I'll be paying a PCN though.

As others have said above, wheres the UAT and sign off for this system. You'd think they would just waive all charges for the weekend but no chance of that.

MelonsOnSaleAgain · 31/07/2023 20:11

We crossed on Friday and couldn’t pay but we were on our way on holiday, don’t have an account! I’ve spent almost a whole day of my holiday watching a bloody online queue and when I did get through it crashed. I’m so pissed off.

Lostinplaces · 31/07/2023 20:25

Saw a message on m local FB page saying they were extending the pay period

Fifthtimelucky · 31/07/2023 22:58

My husband was trying to do this yesterday and wasted a lot of time in the queue before giving up.

He woke up at 4.30am and thought he'd try again. Fortunately at that time the queue moved pretty quickly so all was sorted before our daughter used the crossing this morning.

CointreauVersial · 31/07/2023 23:10

It's a mess. They have changed the payment company.

We have a Dart account for our two cars (and crossed twice at the weekend); more importantly I'm the fleet manager at work, and we have 50-odd vans using it daily on our business account.

I haven't been able to update the payment cards on either account, despite trying several times Sunday and Monday. The "website down" message is about 24 hours out of date. I will try again tomorrow but I imagine (hope!) they will waive any fines for the next few days until the system settles down.

Daisymay2 · 31/07/2023 23:17

Finally got on tonight BUT you can only pay for journeys from 6am yesterday so how on earth do I pay for Saturday’s crossing?

set up a PAYG account as couldn’t face this for tomorrow’s return trip. Have tried for hours on my phone. Everytime I have sat down since yesterday evening I have tried. What a way to spend a long weekend break

fuckthisprivilage · 31/07/2023 23:24

I crossed on Friday and couldn't pay on Saturday because the site was down. On Sunday it was accepting payments but the language was really confusing - selecting the option for paying for a crossing you had recently made took you to a page which said you could ONLY use it pay for future crossings. Went backwards and forwards but there definitely wasn't another option. So I paid, but then didn't get an email confirmation, which means I can't check if the payment has been applied to the crossing correctly because I don't have a reference number. So frustrating.

Turmerictolly · 31/07/2023 23:38

Bloody shambles. Waited ages in an online queue to pay for a crossing yesterday. Have paid £5 as need to return in a couple of days but I'm not sure whether this covers the crossing already made. Why couldn't they stick with the old system!

MelonsOnSaleAgain · 01/08/2023 09:32

I ended up paying for a future crossing when I ended up getting online this morning early doors. But I crossed on Friday. I’ll argue it with them if and when I get a PCN!

CointreauVersial · 01/08/2023 10:26

😡Finally managed to sign into our business Dart Charge account this morning and update the credit card - although it took a fair while to get into the website. Can tick that one off the list.

Tried opening our personal account - it tells me incorrect password (which I'm sure it isn't). So I put in a Forgotten Password request and created a new password......am told "Password is incorrect". What, even though I've just created it?? So I phoned up to manually make a top-up payment using my credit card...."I'm sorry, it's not possible to process this payment. Putting you through to member of staff. Wait time will be approximately 92 minutes".

Yeah, sure I've got time for that. 🙄

Original poster
SuperGinger · 01/08/2023 13:59

@CointreauVersial I've had the exact same thing, with the incorrect/forgotten password. Such a joke! I still haven't paid for Saturday. I've wasted so much time on this, I honestly don't think people should have to pay while their system has been so dreadful!

OP posts:
CointreauVersial · 01/08/2023 14:33

I've now emailed them, detailing what I've done. Just in case they think I haven't tried hard enough to pay......

KatzP · 01/08/2023 14:38

I forgot to pay earlier in the summer - hadn’t updated credit card that expired. When I went to pay the PCN it was reduced to the crossing fee only as first time I’d forgotten to pay. So hopefully even if they do issue PCN to all of you that it will default to crossing charge only.

LlynTegid · 01/08/2023 18:42

@needanotherhol it's the Highways Agency, expecting them to manage systems, which planet are you on?!!! They cannot plan works so that anyone works at weekends or beyond 4pm, and you expect them to know about IT.

Lamelie · 01/08/2023 18:48

Spent hours in queues after crossing on Sunday. Finally got through and panicked when they said no charge as I’ve just managed to reregister my car which used to be free as it was incorrectly registered as an ambulance only to then remember we’d crossed after 10pm 🤦🏻‍♀️