Dartford crossing rip off (1 Viewer)

[stringa]

Just thought I'd share this with you. We went to Dover from lincoln having put in the address into the sat nav off we went, straight there easy peasy after a month in Spain we returned home only to find my post, there was a letter from the Dartford crossing office presenting me with my bill of £250.00 for the crossing, the poxy crossing over the Thames, my appeal was turned down as I did not pay within 12 hours, I explained I was out off the country for 30 days or so but they had the last word pay up or it will go up to £500 and then £750.........The standard charge for my 17 year old mh would be £100.00 because of the emissions, anyone else had bother like this or is it just me.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Are there any peeps that travel that stretch regularly to clarify?

Yes - driven it many, many times

Me too

 

[Deleted member 29692]

So it wasn't Dartford crossing at all, but the LEZ due to you going into the 'zone'?

It appears so.

Did you leave the M25?

If you didn't the LEZ would not affect you.

The numbers he's quoted as being charged are LEZ ones not Dart Charge ones.


Could be an ANPR glitch I suppose but I'd be surprised.

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[chaser]

Me too

Not regular, but been over many times, always get on the website and book two crossings before we go, simples. This lez thing though is something I know nowt about but as long as you stay on the m25 it's no problem, be very interested how the op got done for this as it might be something simple that we could all fall into.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Not regular, but been over many times, always get on the website and book two crossings before we go, simples. This lez thing though is something I know nowt about but as long as you stay on the m25 it's no problem, be very interested how the op got done for this as it might be something simple that we could all fall into.

I've got an account for the Dart Charge. All the vehicles are registered on it and it's set for auto top up. Basically I don't need to think about it at all unless I change one of the cars or the MH.

The LEZ is different. You can read about it if you want here: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone

The short version that applies to motorhomes is that if you aren't Euro IV or better and you want to drive in the zone it will cost you £100 per day. No ifs, buts, discussions or discounts.

There was a map showing the zone earlier in the thread but just to point out again that even though the M25 runs through it the motorway itself is not part of the zone.

The only way he could have fallen into it is by coming off of the motorway for some reason.

 

[stringa]

Just for some of you negatives out there I didn't know there was such a thing called LEZ I never heard of it before ........I flippin have now, I won't be making that mistake again I'll tell ya. I only did what the sat nav told me to do.......and to those funsters who have made a similar mistake I salute ya, at least I'm not the first and I doubt I'll be the last.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Just for some of you negatives out there I didn't know there was such a thing called LEZ I never heard of it before ........I flippin have now, I won't be making that mistake again I'll tell ya. I only did what the sat nav told me to do.......and to those funsters who have made a similar mistake I salute ya, at least I'm not the first and I doubt I'll be the last.

Just out of interest what did you have your satnav set to do?

The obvious direct Lincoln to Dover route is A1-M11-M25-M2.

If you had it set to avoid tolls or something like that then that's what probably tripped you up as the LEZ wouldn't register as a toll.

The Dartford Crossing really isn't worth avoiding as all the possible alternatives, even avoiding the LEZ, cost more in extra miles/time/fuel than the cost of the toll.

 

[DavidG58]

I have huge sympathy for you @stringa nobody wants an unexpected bill for £100's, but I am interested in what you actually did to get the penalty, it would appear it was now LEZ not DART related

You have certainly made a mistake, did the penalty notice say where you had been ?

I have been going round the other side of the M25 to avoid potential issues of forgetting to pay for the DART crossing, but now found you can prepay crossings that are valid for up to 12 months, so that is what we will do in the future

As for the LEZ, it sounds seriously scary, it could catch any of us now seeing just how big the area is, it must be easy to end up in the wrong lane and we are not talking a small penalty like bus lane misuse, this seems really unfair, for what might only have been a few yards use

It might be easy for those who drive near it all the time, but for us that only come your way to get to France or further, it sounds unreasonable, however well signed

 

[Minxy]

As we travel down from East Yorkshire we go south over the Humber bridge on the A15 / M180 / A15 and eventually onto the A46 round Lincoln, then down onto the A1 / A14 / M11 / M25 then off at either A2 or M20 and towards either Dover or Eurotunnel so I don't understand what route the sat nav took you from Lincoln to Dover which meant you ended up in the LEZ zone?

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[Deleted member 29692]

I have been going round the other side of the M25 to avoid potential issues of forgetting to pay for the DART crossing

That's one thing that's definitely not worth doing - pay a £1.67 toll or drive an extra 40 ish miles?

 

[DavidG58]

As we travel down from East Yorkshire we go south over the Humber bridge on the A15 / M180 / A15 and eventually onto the A46 round Lincoln, then down onto the A1 / A14 / M11 / M25 then off at either A2 or M20 and towards either Dover or Eurotunnel so I don't understand what route the sat nav took you from Lincoln to Dover which meant you ended up in the LEZ zone?

I have been stuck on the M25 many times, never really thought that by coming off at a junction to rejoin at the next would incur LEZ charges, I had no idea how far out they applied.

Just coming off to get fuel at fair prices could catch me out

I would like to think it is really well signed, but in the dark would it be that obvious?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I don't understand what route the sat nav took you from Lincoln to Dover which meant you ended up in the LEZ zone?

The only thing I can think of that would do it is setting the satnav to avoid tolls would probably take you via the Blackwall Tunnel which would mean you were well inside the zone.

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[DavidG58]

That's one thing that's definitely not worth doing - pay a £1.67 toll or drive an extra 40 ish miles?

but we join the M25 from the M40, so nearly the same miles, you need to know all the details before judging maybe

 

[Deleted member 29692]

but we join the M25 from the M40, so nearly the same miles, you need to know all the details before judging maybe

Sorry, I was still thinking from Lincoln. If you naturally come down the M40 then the Southern section is shorter anyway.

If you come down the M1 or anywhere further East then the Northern part and Dartford is better.

From Bolsover though you're doing an extra 50 odd miles to come down the M40 instead of coming straight down the M1 so I don't see what you think you're gaining.

 

[DavidG58]

Sorry, I was still thinking from Lincoln. If you naturally come down the M40 then the Southern section is shorter anyway.

If you come down the M1 or anywhere further East then the Northern part and Dartford is better.

From Bolsover though you're doing an extra 50 odd miles to come down the M40 instead of coming straight down the M1 so I don't see what you think you're gaining.

We are possibly slightly odd, but we build in family visits on way down, we were brought up in Oxford and still have family there, so usually come down that way

My fear was based on the knowledge that a fine would have been far more than the £2 or so for the toll if it went wrong, might as well spend it on a safe bet on the extra fuel

My real point was aimed at your reply and others who have maybe been rather judgemental in the absence of detail from the OP

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[Deleted member 29692]

We are possibly slightly odd, but we build in family visits on way down, we were brought up in Oxford and still have family there, so usually come down that way

My fear was based on the knowledge that a fine would have been far more than the £2 or so for the toll if it went wrong, might as well spend it on a safe bet on the extra fuel

My real point was aimed at your reply and others who have maybe been rather judgemental in the absence of detail from the OP

Via Oxford then obviously the M40/Southern M25 makes more sense

Like I said previously the account system works well. There's nothing to go wrong. I guess if you don't travel that way much it might not be worthwhile but as long as you are aware and either prepay or pay within the 24 hours the system works, there's nothing to be worried about.

For the OP it's not the Dart Charge that's caused him a problem, it's the LEZ. I still don't see how anyone could miss ALL the signs. It's not like there's only one or two. If that's judgemental then I guess I have to plead guilty.

 

[Chris]

Just for some of you negatives out there I didn't know there was such a thing called LEZ I never heard of it before ........I flippin have now, I won't be making that mistake again I'll tell ya. I only did what the sat nav told me to do.......and to those funsters who have made a similar mistake I salute ya, at least I'm not the first and I doubt I'll be the last.

I don't think anyone was being negative, it was just that they couldn't understand how you could get fined so much for using the Dartford Crossing.

Now it's established you had wandered into the LEZ we can understand.

The LEZ is a sod. There are signs warning that you are entering the zone but I don't recall seeing any signs warning of the consequences and I don't see why people who don't live in or around London should be expected to know anything about it.

 

[JockandRita]

The short version that applies to motorhomes is that if you aren't Euro IV or better and you want to drive in the zone it will cost you £100 per day. No ifs, buts, discussions or discounts.

Or even £200 a day for some of us.

I too was thinking that @stringa had gone via the Blackwall Tunnel. An expensive lesson unfortunately.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[dryad]

for anyone worried about inadvertently wandering into the LEZ (lower emissions) zone, you can check if your vehicle is compliant on this site below..

most newer vehicles will most likely be compliant, have just checked my 2010 citroen pvc, it's ok, my older 2004 renault trafic van was too..

Link Removed

 

[GJH]

I don't see why people who don't live in or around London should be expected to know anything about it.

I suppose it depends how widely one reads the news.
Those of us who have been forum members for several years should know about the LEZ because of recent discussions but I'm sure I remember general publicity in the media when it came in as well. The latter certainly applies to the separate congestion zone in my case, despite living so far away.

EDIT. Thinking about it, one might also say that people living outside Germany may not be expected to be aware of their emission zones. Perhaps the difference is that people check when going abroad but assume when it comes to the UK.

 

[Chris]

I suppose it depends how widely one reads the news.
Those of us who have been forum members for several years should know about the LEZ because of recent discussions but I'm sure I remember general publicity in the media when it came in as well. The latter certainly applies to the separate congestion zone in my case, despite living so far away.

EDIT. Thinking about it, one might also say that people living outside Germany may not be expected to be aware of their emission zones. Perhaps the difference is that people check when going abroad but assume when it comes to the UK.

I am sure there was a lot of publicity, but I don't think Joe Public living oop North would pay much attention to a news article about certain vans being barred from London. Next thing he or she buys a motorhone, travels to London for the weekend and gets a big fine.

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[Deleted member 29692]

I am sure there was a lot of publicity, but I don't think Joe Public living oop North would pay much attention to a news article about certain vans being barred from London. Next thing he or she buys a motorhone, travels to London for the weekend and gets a big fine.

It's so heavily signed though that surely even someone who's never heard of it would be moved to query it instead of ignoring it.

 

[Chris]

It's so heavily signed though that surely even someone who's never heard of it would be moved to query it instead of ignoring it.

I suppose so but I recall seeing the signs when they first appeared and wondered what that was all about, but carried on. I think I only properly read about it on here.

 

[Chris]

The LEZ actually did me a favour. We were on a waiting list to store the van at Abbey Wood CC site and were told it would be a 5-8 year wait.

Within a week of the LEZ coming in we were offered a place because all the people with older non compliant vans had to move out.

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[GJH]

I am sure there was a lot of publicity, but I don't think Joe Public living oop North would pay much attention to a news article about certain vans being barred from London. Next thing he or she buys a motorhone, travels to London for the weekend and gets a big fine.

I can't be Joe Public then
Seriously, I think most motorhomers do know about it or we would be seeing far more posts about being caught. When I've looked on-line at caravan sites within the LEZ they all seem to have a note about it and threads asking about London usually generate a post about it pretty quickly.
Many people in the north may forget about it because they don't own vehicles affected by the LEZ but we all, wherever we live, know (or should) that there are different criteria which apply to using a large vehicle and should, therefore, make sure we check them all out.

 

[Enword]

I for one can sympathize @stringa even if your not getting much we are all human & we all can make mistakes. I made one the same, We came back from Snetterton a few years back & were going to stop over with friends in Romford something we have done times, at time we hadn't realised they had extended the LEZ, it was dark we saw signs but thought the route we use doesn't go near, by the time we sussed I could not turn or go back ( at 44.5 ft long with the trailer ) we had to go on. Funny thing when we got there our friends had no idea they were in the zone,

We live in the heart of Devon & never saw one news article to say it had been extended out to the M25, (apparently it was at the time of the Olympics)

 

[Deleted member 29692]

We live in the heart of Devon & never saw one news article to say it had been extended out to the M25, (apparently it was at the time of the Olympics)

It's extended beyond the M25. The motorway itself is not part of it though. That is unchanged. As long as you stay on the motorway you don't need to worry about it.

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[jockaneezer]

for anyone worried about inadvertently wandering into the LEZ (lower emissions) zone, you can check if your vehicle is compliant on this site below..

most newer vehicles will most likely be compliant, have just checked my 2010 citroen pvc, it's ok, my older 2004 renault trafic van was too..

Link Removed

I was pretty sure my 3 litre 05 Renault Master was compliant but computer sez no Is there any other way of finding out your Euro rating ? Last time we got in the queue for the Dartford crossing, the satnav highlighted the congestion and wanted to send us via the Blackwall tunnel, Val was driving and was gonna take the diversion till I explained about the LEZ.

 

[Minxy]

Unless the OP gives details of his route we can talk until the cows come home and never know WHY he got fined.

 

[GJH]

We live in the heart of Devon & never saw one news article to say it had been extended out to the M25, (apparently it was at the time of the Olympics)

It hasn't been extended has it? I thought the area it covered had been the same from day 1.

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[Don Quixote]

Well I feel very sorry for the OP, but like any journey....... you plan the route and he could have paid in advance for the crossing ( that is if it is the crossing looking for payment? ) and saved the grief knowing that he was going to use it. As many on here have said there is enough warnings on the approach to the crossing so a genuine mistake excuse cannot be used . I would not like that dropping through my post box. This may help others reading the post.

Pay the Dartford Crossing charge (Dart Charge)

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