Hi just thought I should share this with anyone who has an account with Dartford crossing, as you could get caught out and nailed £75 through no fault of your own.
I tried to access my account today as I have changed my car, and wanted to update details. I could not acces online so rang them.
The operator said my account had be "frozen" since last year when I opened it and paid the min £10 top up fee.
The operator said the original payment was not accepted! I said I had not recieved ANY notification of this, and only a turn of fate stopped me using the crossing last year after paying the fee up front (so I thought).
I ended up doing M40 route from N west as I travelled overnight and traffic was horrendous dartford route according to roadworks reports.
I could have arrived back home with a £75 fine waiting for me.
I gave another payment and insisted on a payment referance - the operator said I didnt need one ...Oh yeah right I was told it will all be on my account which is now re activated. Just tried to access my account ...still unable to access or verify my payment status . the operator admitted "system problems" when I pushed him, he then gave me a referance number for todays payment.
They must be caning poor unsuspecting travellers right left and centre with this micky mouse system. They wont tell you your payment has failed ...but they will smash a £75 fine into you in the blink of an eye. Just a word of warning for you all to check, before you travel.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I guess if you recieve verification then you dont have to worry, it seems that when I opened my account they were indeed experiencing difficulties, I didnt recieve anyhing to acknowledge my payment at the time -I guess the best thing to do is check, to be on the safe side, my account was created sucessfully but the payment had not gone through and I was non the wiser.
I keep getting emails from them telling me my account has fallen below the minimum of credit amount of £10. I just make sure it doesn't fall below zero and check it online each time we cross.
No problems so far and all correctly registered
Ken
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by fleagle on 15/7/2017
I guess if you recieve verification then you dont have to worry, it seems that when I opened my account they were indeed experiencing difficulties, I didnt recieve anyhing to acknowledge my payment at the time -I guess the best thing to do is check, to be on the safe side, my account was created sucessfully but the payment had not gone through and I was non the wiser.
Do you not check your bank account?
I know you would be looking for something that would not be their.
In the old days when it was all cheques I would tick off the cheque stubs against the statement and in that way I would know if a payment had not gone through.
Quote: Originally posted by kenren on 15/7/2017
I keep getting emails from them telling me my account has fallen below the minimum of credit amount of £10. I just make sure it doesn't fall below zero and check it online each time we cross.
No problems so far and all correctly registered
Ken
why not just have it on automatic top up - no need to worry !!
Quote: Originally posted by MisterB1959 on 16/7/2017
Quote: Originally posted by kenren on 15/7/2017
I keep getting emails from them telling me my account has fallen below the minimum of credit amount of £10. I just make sure it doesn't fall below zero and check it online each time we cross.
No problems so far and all correctly registered
Ken
why not just have it on automatic top up - no need to worry !!
Agree
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
My account is paid by card automatically within a few hour of going through and I get a notification to say it has been paid. Haven't paid anything for an account as only use once a year coming back from Europe going we go over the bridge after 10pm.
Just another case of got you by the short and curlys and you will just have to lump it if you forced by your geography to use it. Live near Manchester so just use the M40, go round the bottom half of the M25 for Dover. Best route out of a bad lot anyway.
Why do you have to have a minimum of £10 in when the charge if you have an account is £1.67?
Surely if you are only doing the 1 trip then you only have to pay £3.36?n Or £5 if you don't have an account?
The whole thing is a farce - like putting the details including a mobile number on signs which are illegal to read and action whilst driving! How do foreigners visiting the UK for the first time know what to do?
I never had a problem with the barriers. You went through, you paid - simples!
Quote: Originally posted by Oh so camp on 16/7/2017
Just another case of got you by the short and curlys and you will just have to lump it if you forced by your geography to use it. Live near Manchester so just use the M40, go round the bottom half of the M25 for Dover. Best route out of a bad lot anyway.
We go tonight from N wales and normally take the M40 route but it appears that the M1 is almost cleared of those statutory roadworks that seemed to have been there forever. Waze app keeps telling me to go M6 M1 M2 route this year. the other problem nowdays is they close a lot of motorway lanes and motorways overnight to carry out maintenance, last year M6 was shut and a leg of the M25 ! so much for going overnight for a smoother passage :)
By comparison to those of us who live and work in the are, many millions of us, i am sure generally agree the new system is far better and easier to administer for us.
For those once or twice a year users yes a little inconvenience but nothing you can;t rectify without a little pre planning
if you know any family or friends who have a Dart accounts just ask if they mind adding your vehicle on once a year and pay them direct the discounted price no faff?