Dart Charge appeals to be given 'impartial' hearing

author: FutureCar Staff    

Roads minister Richard Holden has assured drivers facing fines due to issues with the Dart Charge payment system that they will receive a fair hearing from National Highways. On July 28, a new company, Conduent, took over responsibility for vehicle identification, payment processing, and account management for journeys across the Dartford Crossing. However, this changeover resulted in many drivers struggling to update their accounts, make payments, or reach the call center. In response to concerns raised by Dartford MP Gareth Johnson, Holden stated that a fix has been deployed to address the technical problems.

Holden explained that the transition to the new payment service has generated high customer demand. Over 1 million individual customers have used the website, with 40,000 opening new accounts and over 404,000 updating payment card details. Additionally, 1.2 million payments have been made across multiple channels and account types. While the system is functioning well for the majority of customers, National Highways acknowledges that some have encountered technical difficulties. The organization has been working with Conduent to promptly resolve these issues.

Holden revealed that since July 28, 62,000 calls related to the Dart Charge have been answered, and 44 additional staff members have been recruited to the customer call center. However, waiting times currently stand at 45 minutes. National Highways is collaborating with Conduent to reduce these waiting times. Online, the system is serving over 40,000 customers each day with no waiting time.

Holden emphasized that individuals who have been unable to pay the Dart Charge due to technical issues should not be penalized. Those who receive penalty charge notices for unpaid journeys during this period will have two weeks to respond and can pay at the original charge rate. National Highways will also fairly consider any appeals against penalties.

In response to the difficulties faced by drivers, National Highways has extended the grace period for updating Dart Charge payment card details. Drivers who made crossings from July 27 onwards will have an additional 14 days to pay any charges before fines are imposed. Despite these measures, customers have reported struggling to access the new payment system and experiencing long wait times when contacting the call center.

Dartford MP Gareth Johnson expressed his disappointment with the changeover, stating that it has been a shambles. He had previously met with National Highways and was assured that their IT systems could handle the transition. However, the situation has not improved as expected, with people still facing long wait times for phone calls to be answered or emails to be responded to. Johnson highlighted that the changeover was carried out during the busiest month for the crossing, despite having two years to prepare.

FutureCar Staff