Dartford Crossing by car could cost £140?

[Butch Willykins]

 

[RandyWanger]

we just thought that the crossing had paid for itself now

I remember that lie, once it's been paid for, it'll be free. hahaha

Only option is to suck it up and pay it, then either remember to pay next time or set up an account and deposit £10 note as soon as it goes under £10, your first crossing, they'll take another £10.

Don't worry about the foreigners on holiday, those cameras can't pick up our licence plates, same as the speed scameras ;-)

 

[TheDuke]

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Ta Butch...in the memory banks now but can honestly say I didn't see it...driving without due care and attention!!!!!

 

[chaileyjem]

I registered ages ago. You can add any number of cars to your account. And it tops up by £10 when you run out. It works out a lot cheaper than paying by cash as i did before.
And thats it. Took about 10 minutes and now i never have to worry about it. The online system works well by phone/desktop and is well designed.

Its also well sign posted on your way round the M25, and there is a get out clause if you forget. As these things go its certainly not flawed and out to catch you out.

 

[Hastings gull]

It's been well publicised. There are signs all the way up to Dartford in both directions. There has been at least one thread on NSC about it. You can pay up to midnight after you've been through the (former) toll booths.

When you drove up there, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that nobody took any money off you?

I am sure that with car tax reminders for a year or so, came a leaflet telling you about the proposed changes, and there are regular signs on the way informing motorists. Surely you must have wondered when you saw the booths had been taken down?

 

[Hastings gull]

I registered ages ago. You can add any number of cars to your account. And it tops up by £10 when you run out. It works out a lot cheaper than paying by cash as i did before.
And thats it. Took about 10 minutes and now i never have to worry about it. The online system works well by phone/desktop and is well designed.

Its also well sign posted on your way round the M25, and there is a get out clause if you forget. As these things go its certainly not flawed and out to catch you out.

Exactly. We have done the same. No problem

 

[Diego Napier]

By osmosis?

Only if your a follower.

btw. didn't his brother hipgnosis do the artwork for Houses of the Holy?

 

[BigGully]

Bloody hell, there are some righteous gits on here.

Its obvious he didnt interpret or see or care to read the signs, its also obvious he wasnt trying to get over free of a charge and knew a charge was to be levied, so at the very most he made a mistake and no more.

It hardly makes him irresponsible or somehow jeopardised safety or was trying to be sly.

I am with you mate, they are taking the piss as are some of our own 'know it all' and 'do it all properly' posters !!

 

[AZ Gull]

View attachment 69073

Is the Dartford Crossing now sponsored by the Chicago Cubs?

 

[studio150]

Never saw the notices...

What are you doing driving if you fail to see road side signage. I'm sure that will work when driving at 50 in a 30 limit, sorry I never saw the sign, or going the wrong way up a one way street, no I didn't see the no entry sign.

I would suggest you either stop driving or at least get an eye sight test.

 

[stss30]

Without meaning to sound like a dick, there are about 10 signs leading up to the crossing listing charges for different types of vehicles, amazed you didn't spot one.

 

[drew]

Ah, yes. That'll be it.

(Bit like the signage for Dartford then?)

There's plenty of signs both by the side of the road and painted on it. As for Dartford, again there are signs and the last time I went you still have to go through a barrier. If you don't see the signs then perhaps you shouldn't be driving. I suspect it is more a case of not paying because no one actually asked you so hoping you'll get away with it!!!!

 

[Hampster Gull]

Ffs. Ive just realised i didnt pay after going to suffolk after an albion match earlier in the season.

It wouldnt happen in a Corbyn world. This would all be FREE

 

[DataPoint]

I use the Dartford Crossing about one day a month. Hate having to pay a toll to use a public road - the M25 motorway especially - and when there is no alternative. Never pay to use M6 Toll although I have the choice if I wish!

The mind-numbing chaos and congestion inflicted deliberately by the department of transports toll boths was near criminal. God knows how much it cost the British economy? I used to feel so sorry after I'd finally made the crossing to see the missery of the poor b**stards queuing for mile after mile waiting their turn in the "hell hole"! God knows what foreigners thought of the shameful practice.

I've got an account with Dart Charge and reluctantly transfer funds to them as required. The traffic runs much smoother now - as you would expect - but it's nowhere near international motorway standard!

 

[1066familyman]

Careful with registering an account with them. Yes it's more convenient and cheaper than finding a newsagent with a machine that works or staff that actually know how to use the bloody thing so you can pay before you go. But once you open an online account they will try, try and try again to get you on the auto top up from your bank card every time your account falls below £10. All this despite setting the account to manual top up only and phone calls to make sure they don't take money without asking again.

Minimum £10 in every account must work out at quite a nice bit of interest from them no doubt. But of course, it's all about the "customer convenience" isn't it, how thoughtful of them, quite sweet really................. Is it F***!

I personally can't see what was wrong with chucking some coins in those baskets each time. Seemed to run about as smooth as it does now most times.

You're on your own with not seeing the signs about the charge though...you'd have to be Colonel Blink to miss 'em!

 

[sully]

If you ring up and say that you didn't realise that you had to pay, then if it is the first time you've done the crossing they are usually fine about you just paying for the crossings that you've done. Thats what happened to us anyway when we forget to pay the first time we crossed when we went on to a family function and then came back the other way round the M25 and completely forgot about it!

Ditto. We went through on the way to Middlesbrough and completely forgot. I have a company car so didn't even get the letters and only remembered when a relation from Essex was saying that sometimes he doesn't get clocked by the cameras.

Luckily, when I rang to confess, I was only required to pay the standard charge as it was the first time I'd been through since the change.

It was certainly well signposted and difficult to say you didn't notice. It would be tantamount to confessing to driving without due care and attention!

 

[Bry Nylon]

It would be interesting to know what the construction costs of the tunnels and the bridge were and how much has recouped to date via the tolls.

I would do a FoI request, but it isn't that interesting.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I personally can't see what was wrong with chucking some coins in those baskets each time. Seemed to run about as smooth as it does now most times.

Its more to do with the cost of cash handling and better cash flow than traffic management.
With the new system they have no costs associated with collecting the money, counting and transporting the money to banks etc
And also with the new system for each registered user they have at least £10 off each person interest free, as a business model its genius.

 

[1066familyman]

Its more to do with the cost of cash handling and better cash flow than traffic management.
With the new system they have no costs associated with collecting the money, counting and transporting the money to banks etc
And also with the new system for each registered user they have at least £10 off each person interest free, as a business model its genius.

Exactly, how many account holders you reckon? A million cars registered for starters at last count I think, so a conservative estimate could be half a million actual accounts? Very nice amount of interest that! It's quite clear to me exactly who auto top really conveniences.

 

[Hastings gull]

Careful with registering an account with them. Yes it's more convenient and cheaper than finding a newsagent with a machine that works or staff that actually know how to use the bloody thing so you can pay before you go. But once you open an online account they will try, try and try again to get you on the auto top up from your bank card every time your account falls below £10. All this despite setting the account to manual top up only and phone calls to make sure they don't take money without asking again.


Minimum £10 in every account must work out at quite a nice bit of interest from them no doubt. But of course, it's all about the "customer convenience" isn't it, how thoughtful of them, quite sweet really................. Is it F***!

I personally can't see what was wrong with chucking some coins in those baskets each time. Seemed to run about as smooth as it does now most times.

You're on your own with not seeing the signs about the charge though...you'd have to be Colonel Blink to miss 'em!

I don't dispute what you write about the financial side for one moment, but surely you must have noticed that after the change the bridge is much, much quicker now. the tunnel is better but not as good, because I think they have to control the amount of traffic in the tunnel.