Dartford Tunnell Paying

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi all, Karen and i will be needing to use the Dartford tunnell possibly a couple of times in June. Because we MIGHT be travelling from North Kent to Peterborough on the 18th June, and Brundall on the 25th, how on earth do you pay the toll. I`ve checked out their website, but i`m not interrested in setting up an account, as i`l only ever use it twice, possibly 3 times this year, and maybe the same most years.  I can`t see anywhere on their website where there is a facility to pay for a single crossing, can this be done, and is there somewhere where you can pull in to pay on the day?.

It`s well past the day where the tolls should be scrapped, and this white elephant put on the national road register.

[Matt]

I think you can pay in advance by post or in cash at some shops etc

[MauriceMynah]

Sorry I can't be of much help other than to say that there are no facilities to pay there and then.

[SwanR]

Hope this helps - took this information from the AA's website. 

https://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/cost-of-motoring/dartford-crossing-dart-charge.html

 

Charges from 30 November 2014 (current charge)

• Cars   £2.50 (£2.00)
• 2 axle goods  £3.00 (£2.50)
• Multi-axle goods £6.00 (£5.00)

It is free to use the crossing between 22:00 and 06:00.

Ways to pay

The cheapest way to pay is using a pre-pay account

Alternatively, you can make one-off payments in advance or by midnight the day after crossing:

• online at www.gov.uk/dart-charge
• over the phone by calling: 0300 300 0120
• via a payzone retail outlet
• by post (in advance only): Dart Charge Customer Services PO Box 842 Leeds LS1 9QF

New ways to pay from November 2015

Pay as You Go - register your vehicle and payment details in advance and automatically pay when you use the crossing

Pingit - pay for single crossings using the Pingit smartphone app.

[Mouldy]

Try following this link;

 

https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/PayforCrossing/PayforCrossing

 

You can pay in arrears for a crossing made 24 hours previously or in advance for a planned crossing.  Its a bit of a b*ll ache, to be honest, but it's cheaper than the fine for non-payment.  It is still free between 22:00 and 06:00.

 

When they built the bridge, the plan was that it would only have a toll until it was  paid for, but instead, the toll charge has increased dramatically over the past couple of years.  Another cash cow for the government!!

[Baitrunner]

I don't use it that often but found it easier to set up an account. I think it's cheaper too  

Of you know someone who has one get them to put your reg no on their account and give them the cash. When my brother is over he always hires a car so i add it to my account for him. He pays me in rum!!!! Just make sure you remove the reg once you give the car back. 

[Warp]

My sister decided to live on the opposite side of the M25 from the rest of the family. I forget why. I either drive the other way around, drive through London or I pay afterwards using www.gov.uk/dart-charge as SwanR posted. Never had a problem paying on the web site other than I shouldn't have to. It's less annoying than the Severn bridge though which should never have been tolled.

[Baitrunner]

15 minutes ago, Jonzo said:

I've done the same for my brother-in-law - As you say, just need to remove the reg afterwards!

It's definitely cheaper to have an account as you only pay £1.66 per crossing. I don't like having £10 sitting on an account either as I'm notoriously tight, but it's much more convenient and Mrs Jonzo just reminds me every so often to top it up.

I'm lazy and would forget so have an auto top up set up - not sure why people dont trust these nowadays?

I see a lot of people queuing to top up their Oyster cards on Monday morning - just set it to do it automatically! Never had a problem

[Jim]

I have a Dart Charge account which works fine although you do need to keep an eye on things. They are supposed to top the account up by direct debit but sometimes they don't and they issue penalty notices.

I do use the crossing a lot so it makes sense as I would probably forget to pay by midnight the next day.

 

[JawsOrca]

Neil.. Set up an account. It's just less hassle.  We may see you up there that week.. We will stay north though  

[Mowjo]

You can also pay at any shop with Payzone, http://www.payzone.co.uk/Where

Frank,,,

[grendel]

I have an account set for manual top up every month (reminder in calander) a work colleague had the auto top up, and found every time her account got down to the top up point it would top up by £10 3 or 4 times, as it took a while to register the top up, so would keep automatically trying to top up.

I looked into the reasons for still having tolls a while back, as like everyone I thought that once paid for they were supposed to go away, I found that about 6 months before this date the government bought out new legislation on long bridges and tunnels, requiring every long bridge and tunnel to collect tolls, with the measurement of length specified to include the dartford tunnel (but not the blackwall tunnel) and severn bridge, thus justifying the expense, the tunnel was then put into private hands, and when the new tolls were done, the company went to the same company that collects the french tolls (I think in the belief they would stand a greater chance of collecting them from european nationals)

[ranworthbreeze]

I am so glad that I do not live nor visit the said area often, it sounds like a lot of faffing about to me what with tolls, congestion charges. 

You all have my sympathy.

Regards

Alan 

[grendel]

yes I live one side and work the other - so twice a day for me, traffic at the tunnel can add hours to my daily commute, earlier this week (monday) I rolled into the office at 10.45am, having left home at 6.30am

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

21 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Try following this link;

 

https://www.dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/PayforCrossing/PayforCrossing

 

You can pay in arrears for a crossing made 24 hours previously or in advance for a planned crossing.  Its a bit of a b*ll ache, to be honest, but it's cheaper than the fine for non-payment.  It is still free between 22:00 and 06:00.

 

When they built the bridge, the plan was that it would only have a toll until it was  paid for, but instead, the toll charge has increased dramatically over the past couple of years.  Another cash cow for the government!!

Hi Mouldy,

i think you will also find it`s been sold to a European consortium, probably the French again.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

8 hours ago, Mowjo said:

You can also pay at any shop with Payzone, http://www.payzone.co.uk/Where

Frank,,,

I tried that Frank, posted some post codes and the search result was a blank white screen every time. 

To be honest, i`m not paying £10 for an account which then asks me to pay yet more to go through the tunnells. I think i`l end up just leaving here at 06,00 in the morning again. I did think it would be nice to see my ailing dad and stay with him the night before we come up, but they`ve made it such hassle for the casual user, i`d prefer to go into London and use the Blackwall tunnell. After that, it`s a pretty straightforward run to the M11.  It`s just a bit quicker via the Dartford tunnell and M25.

I`m not the only one who`s now refusing to use the Dartford tunnells and Bridge, several people i know in Kent now either don`t go through them anymore, or simply use Blackwall, it`s a bit longer in time, but much less hassle.

 

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Neil as Alan said it's best to set up an account That's what Marina does,as we go up to the boat at least once a month.Marina tops it up every so often.

I agree there's always talk as to why we are still paying,but like many things in life once you start to pay for something  the powers  to be will keep on charging 

Ian

[Polly]

Yes I can't be bothered to pay individually for each journey so have an automatic account. It stops me getting cross about the fact tolls are still levied too.

[SwanR]

59 minutes ago, grendel said:

yes I live one side and work the other - so twice a day for me, traffic at the tunnel can add hours to my daily commute, earlier this week (monday) I rolled into the office at 10.45am, having left home at 6.30am

I don't know how you do it Grendel. Have to admit that living in Essex this is one of the attractions of Norfolk ... we don't have to go anywhere near the M25!

[grendel]

I would love to say I do it for the money, but I dont, I love the work, and the office is just off junction 29 of the M25, but I have to admit driving 124 miles a day is the downside.

[SteveO]

Unfotrunately, we are frequent Dartford tax-payers and so have the account with automatic top-up set to kick in whenever the amount of money in it drops below £10.

Easier, cheaper, less stressful, fewer adverse effects on blood pressure.

Steve

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Hi Mouldy,

i think you will also find it`s been sold to a European consortium, probably the French again.

Probably not enough opportunity to skim a pension fund or similar for a British investor to want to buy it!!  On a slightly different tack, but a similar principle, why can we not fund our own nuclear power stations, but have to rely on foreign investment to build one?

[Bound2Please]

7 hours ago, SwanR said:

I don't know how you do it Grendel. Have to admit that living in Essex this is one of the attractions of Norfolk ... we don't have to go anywhere near the M25!

The dirty dozen can be just as bad!

Charlie

[Poppy]

12 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Hi Mouldy,

i think you will also find it`s been sold to a European consortium, probably the French again.

It remains in public ownership ! Its the contract for collecting payment which is held by a French company.

[Mowjo]

This probably won't help but did you know you can cross for free after 10pm and before 6am,,