Dartford Crossing

Le_Kirk

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

You can pay by calling them up on the phone:

www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

0300 300 0120

That's good advice. I think the phone number is shown on the sign but who can remember an 11 digit number until you get to a phone? I have an account as I cross frequently but even that took some setting up and many phone calls to that very number!

The_Groat_Counter

Le_Kirk wrote: »

That's good advice. I think the phone number is shown on the sign but who can remember an 11 digit number until you get to a phone? I have an account as I cross frequently but even that took some setting up and many phone calls to that very number!

Actually, I'm not sure the phone number is shown on any signs - Highways England has recently put up a couple of maps online of where the signs are on each side of the crossing, along with what the signs are supposed to look like (though I don't think any of them really say "Last exity before Dart Charge"!), and none of the illustrated signs show the telephone number, they just say "find us online".

Not so useful if you have no ready ability to look up things online, for example no smartphone. Even if you do have a smartphone, then perhaps you've run out of your data allowance for it, or you only use it for online things when connected to wifi, and even then if you're going abroad it's likely that any inclusive data allowance won't work when roaming and data usage will be expensive, so 'finding them online' might be a bit easier said than done.

The signs do seem to heavily rely on the red "C" symbol as the way of showing that the road has a charge - it'd probably be a good idea if this was spelled out, along with a few "Have you paid?" type signs (you get these in London for the congestion charge).

The other thing that's useless is that, whilst it is possible to pay for the Dart Charge at Payzone outlets, there are none at either the Port of Dover or at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone. I don't think there are any at motorway service stations either.

jimjames

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

The signs do seem to heavily rely on the red "C" symbol as the way of showing that the road has a charge - it'd probably be a good idea if this was spelled out, along with a few "Have you paid?" type signs (you get these in London for the congestion charge).

Spot on. If you look at the road there is no mention whatsoever of the word TOLL, just the C symbol. I really can't believe that nearly a year after it was introduced that the signage is so poor. This video shows the drive up to and over the Dartford bridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdwmokoWqLo

The_Groat_Counter

jimjames wrote: »

Spot on. If you look at the road there is no mention whatsoever of the word TOLL, just the C symbol. I really can't believe that nearly a year after it was introduced that the signage is so poor. This video shows the drive up to and over the Dartford bridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdwmokoWqLo

Legally it's a "road user charge" so they can't use the word "toll". But I'm sure it's possible to design clear straightforward signs that make it clear that you need to pay for the crossing.

That video is a bit deceptive in that it doesn't show thee whole picture, as it starts on the bridge rather than the approach where there are some signs.

I'm pretty sure it's intentional that there are no actual signs about the charge on the bridge itself (or in the tunnel) for safety reasons, as the only signs there are emergency signs to show if a lane is closed should there be a breakdown.

That doesn't mean signage elsewhere on the approach or after leaving the crossing shouldn't be better.

d70cw6

Finally managed to get the £35 "fine" i paid after receiving the letter refunded a couple months after a trip I made in May. The signage for this is completely atrocious.

sharealike

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

Actually, I'm not sure the phone number is shown on any signs - Highways England has recently put up a couple of maps online of where the signs are on each side of the crossing, along with what the signs are supposed to look like (though I don't think any of them really say "Last exity before Dart Charge"!), and none of the illustrated signs show the telephone number, they just say "find us online"......

The fact they've had to do this admits the signage is not adequate and they know it's not. Far too many people are missing them. And the point of having them online to look at after its too late is?


After visiting the maps to look at the signs I would have passed its clear why their message was not received. At the first (charge four miles ahead sign) we started collecting together all coins we might need to pay a so far unpublished charge. And getting the CC ready in case that was accepted. We would have ignored the next sign as we had no way "to find us [them] online" in our vehicle while travelling. And we knew we had all likely combination of coins collected and CC ready to pay. Blue signs with white writing on them are motorway information signs. Don't think I was on a motorway or about to enter one either? The red circle with a white C suggests the sign applies to a certain category of vehicle or choice of route. Never seen that symbol before. I would have known if I was in that category. An thirdly the "Pay by midnight tomorrow" is always the very last line of each sign. Sixth, seventh sometimes eight line of the sign yet being the most important information.


And the very last sign you see as you approach where the row of pay machines used to be says "the way you pay has changed". "Improvement works....." and the road is full of works and the machines we used to pay at are no longer there. Assumption is they took the machines away and for now its free. Perhaps not? Next assumption is there will now be some signs telling me how to pay. But there aren't any. Third assumption is the pay machines have been relocated to the north end while the works are in progress in the south. Pass through the tunnel - nothing and by the time you end your journey ten hours later you completely forgot about crossing the Thames.


And the most obvious thing off all about the signs? None of them actually tell you how to pay. Not a single one of them says PAY ONLINE OR BY PHONE AT THE END OF YOUR JOURNEY. Simples........... No Means of Payment On Road Ahead. The time you saved not slowing down on approach and queuing to pay is spent paying at the end of your journey. Even more simples message to get across.


And when you got home the most memorable domain name to have seen on the the signs would be? Say what you think.......


DARTCHARGE.INFO or DARTCHARGE.ONLINE or DARTCHARGE.WEBSITE or how about DARTCHARGE.ME? But they clearly have not registered these. Checking the list it says dartcharge.uk is reserved for the owner of dartcharge.co.uk but this name does not say what the site does and misleads as they are not a UK CO ie not a UK company.

Thankfully this current mess and scatter gun approach (to make it look like they are doing all the right things) pays a team of people a living wage for adding no value to GB plc. Even thought they might justifiably feel well occupied chasing and collecting fines. I do wonder if that's their only source of revenue? You would think so the way the guy tried to get me to pay as much as I was willing for something he later confirmed he knew I had already paid for.


Now until they get the signs renewed what if they said "The bill will be in the post"? And on the the bill it told you how to pay online. While on the back it gave all the existing warnings about fines if not paid in time. I guess that would be too simple. Cost the same in print and post as today. Only drawback is it would not collect [extort] anything like as much revenue...............

Iceweasel

I think almost everyone is missing the bigger point here.

It should be free - why is there still a toll nowadays anyway?

Originally wasn't it was to pay for the building of the bridge and tunnel and or loan involved.

That was achieved years ago.

Scottish people heading for a ferry certainly wouldn't be expecting a toll - we don't have any tolls at all on the many big bridges we have.

At least we have the option when going to Dover for example of going round the Heathrow side, but local commuters are caught by the whatnots.

Time to give your MPs earache I would suggest.

The_Groat_Counter

sharealike wrote: »

The fact they've had to do this admits the signage is not adequate and they know it's not. Far too many people are missing them. And the point of having them online to look at after its too late is?
...

The point is it's a way of demonstrating to people who claim there aren't any signs that in fact there are. So my take is that it's a way of them saying they reckon the signage is fine. Part of the issue in my mind is that the signage heavily relies on the red "C" charging symbol that many won't be familiar with.

sharealike

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

The point is it's a way of demonstrating to people who claim there aren't any signs that in fact there are. So my take is that it's a way of them saying they reckon the signage is fine. Part of the issue in my mind is that the signage heavily relies on the red "C" charging symbol that many won't be familiar with.

I agree hence they know it's not working and also made that point about the C. Wonder how much the signs cost? Wonder if they gave them any real though? Wonder if they ran them by a mystery shopper to see if fit for purpose?


Because of that C a friend of mine thought his payment would automatically appear on his London congestion charge account. Be warned they don't.


A sign is pointless if it's not being seen, read, understood and acted upon. Nowhere do the signs say how and where you pay. Needs a memorable phone number and website on them - saying pay at the end of your journey. Last line of each sign saying pay by midnight tomorrow and nothing else is not enough.


All the excuses about accidents caused by folk trying to call or go online while driving if they are posted at the side of the road are just an excuse for not doing it properly. Every driver knows that's dangerous and illegal. And of course the evidence they did it is there by the times on the systems so they are hopefully going to give that idea a miss.


The people of this planet are never going to be rid of this problem until they get the signs right. Until then the modern day !!!!!! Turpin's will rob and plague good honest folk going about their lives.

Castle

The problem isn't the lack of signs is that you can't pay very easily when you find out what you're supposed to do.
1) Pay on line; great, lets stop at the next PC World/Currys and buy a laptop/tablet or whatever. How do you pay online without a credit or debit card! How do we even get on line!
2) Cash at a payzone outlet; great, where's the nearest one, lets stop and ask and then buy a map to find it, then pay for parking. What time does our Ferry leave!

The irony is; going north through the tunnel, entry is still controlled by traffic lights, which would give you plenty of time to hand over your £2.50 to a Man in a Booth.