Dart Charge System Under Scrutiny for Motorist Issues

A continuous inquiry conducted by the BBC has uncovered numerous problems associated with the Dart Charge system. These issues encompass dormant accounts, drivers encountering difficulties with payments, and individuals receiving fines even without having utilized the crossing. Over the last several months, hundreds of individuals have reached out to the BBC to recount their difficulties with the Dart Charge. The reported problems seem to originate from a modification in Dart’s outsourced charging provider, which occurred in July 2023. National Highways, the governmental body overseeing the crossing, recognizes certain issues and states it is collaborating with its contractors to address them. This raises questions about the origins of this situation and what developments are anticipated. The Dartford Crossing, an integral part of the M25, facilitates the passage of over 50 million vehicles annually across and beneath the River Thames, connecting Essex and Kent. The toll for this crossing is known as the Dart Charge and is enforced on both the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Dartford Tunnel during the hours of 06:00 and 22:00. Varying fees are imposed based on vehicle dimensions; motorcycles are exempt from charges, cars incur a £2.50 fee, and motorhomes and larger lorries are charged up to £6. Reduced payment rates are available for individuals holding a Dart Charge Account or for residents of Thurrock and Dartford, who are eligible to apply for a discount program. Payments can also be made digitally or via phone, either prior to or following a crossing, with a deadline of midnight on the day after the journey is made. During the 2022-23 fiscal year, Dart’s revenue amounted to £215.9m, representing an increase of £13.6m compared to the preceding year. From a technical standpoint, this is accurate. A 1988 Act of Parliament instituted a private finance initiative (PFI) under which Dartford River Crossing Limited, a private entity, pre-funded the construction of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. The expenses were intended to be recovered post-completion via user tolls. The bridge commenced operations in 1991, having cost £120m to construct. The collection of tolls was scheduled to cease on 1st April 2003, coinciding with the conclusion of the initial PFI agreement. However, the Transport Act 2000 implemented charging frameworks for all trunk roads, bridges, and tunnels exceeding 600m (1,969ft) in length, thereby permitting the Highways Agency to maintain a crossing charge. The concept of constructing a tunnel connecting Essex and Kent was initially put forward by the Ministry of Transport in 1924, with the aim of substituting the then-current ferry service operating between Tilbury and Gravesend. Construction of the first of two bore hole tunnels commenced in the late 1930s, experienced a halt due to World War Two, and recommenced almost twenty years later in 1959. The western tunnel became operational for traffic in November 1963, with an anticipated annual capacity of approximately two million vehicles. Nevertheless, demand rapidly surpassed this projection, leading the Conservative government of the time to declare the necessity for a second tunnel by 1970. The eastern tunnel was inaugurated in May 1980, enabling each tunnel to manage unidirectional traffic flow. Subsequently, the tunnels were integrated into the M25 both north and south of the river. However, the completion of the M25 in 1986 also resulted in a substantial surge in traffic utilizing the crossing. In 1986, a business consortium secured a contract to incorporate a bridge crossing, which would later be known as the QEII Bridge. David Cameron’s government initially introduced pre-payment accounts, allowing regular users to obtain an electronic “DART-tag” for their vehicles, which facilitated automatic charging upon passing through a toll-booth. Subsequent to grievances from businesses asserting that toll-booths hindered local economic development, it was declared in 2014 that the crossing would transition to a “free flow charging scheme,” which became effective that November. Project managers lauded this change as successful, attributing to it a reduction in journey times of up to 15 minutes. Nevertheless, a BBC report indicated that within its inaugural year, 1.8 million fines were levied against drivers for overdue charge payments. National Highways granted two new operational contracts for the Dartford Crossing in 2021, which commenced in July 2023. Conduent Public Sector UK Limited was awarded a £150m contract to manage the charging system, employing Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology. Emovis Operations Leeds Limited received a second contract, valued at £120m, for enforcement duties, which encompass issuing penalties and debt recovery. National Highways stated that Dart Charge account holders received an email before the transition, requesting them to re-authorize their banking information to enable the new provider, Conduent, to process automatic payments. However, the BBC previously disclosed that merely 770,000 out of 1.7 million users had completed this action prior to the new system’s activation. Information acquired through a BBC Freedom of Information request indicated an increase of approximately 6% to 8% in the incidence of unpaid crossings following the July 2023 system change. Users have documented various issues, such as payments failing to be debited from their Dart Charge accounts, subsequently leading to fines, and individuals being issued erroneous penalty charges due to ANPR camera malfunctions. Jim Dickson, the Member of Parliament for Dartford, has engaged with National Highways and conveyed the concerns articulated by his constituents regarding the Dart Charge. He reports that the agency is cognizant of these issues and is contemplating imposing financial sanctions on the companies managing the system. Jen Craft, the Member of Parliament for Thurrock, has presented the experiences of some of her constituents in the House of Commons, inquiring about further governmental actions to assist those wrongly penalized. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh stated that she had received “several representations” from Members of Parliament concerning issues with the Dart Charge. She emphasized the importance of rectifying errors “quickly and with compassion” and noted that her officials were collaborating with National Highways to “drive down incorrect PCNs and provide much better support for customers”. National Highways maintains that it is actively collaborating with private service providers to resolve the difficulties encountered by drivers. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal advises drivers against disregarding a PCN, recommending that they initially dispute the notice directly with Dart Charge if they believe it was issued incorrectly. The tribunal further states that challenges should be submitted promptly. Should an appeal be denied, but the driver persists in believing the notice was erroneous, an appeal to the tribunal remains an option. For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.