Drivers Mistakenly Fined at Dartford Crossing

Drivers across the UK are voicing concerns over receiving fines for unpaid journeys at the Dartford Crossing, despite never having used the crossing. Anne Marie Kenyon, a deputy headteacher from Bury, Greater Manchester, reported receiving two penalty charge notices this year, despite never visiting the area. Kenyon noted that the photographs on the fines were blurred and incorrectly identified her vehicle's number plate, leading to frustration when she attempted to resolve the issue. Although both fines were eventually canceled, she expressed concern about the possibility of future errors. Eleanor Vousden, who frequently visits her parents in Dartford, experienced a similar situation when she received a fine for a crossing she did not make on Christmas Eve. While she found the resolution process with Dart Charge to be smooth, she raised questions about the frequency of such mistakes and whether others might overlook them if they cannot recall their whereabouts. National Highways acknowledged the issue, stating that the Dart Charge system automatically reads number plates and captures images of vehicles. They emphasized that manual checks are conducted when image quality is insufficient. The agency reassured that erroneous penalty charges are promptly canceled upon notification from the affected drivers. Despite these incidents, National Highways reported that over 94.6% of journeys at the Dartford Crossing are paid correctly and on time, indicating that the errors represent a small minority of cases. They also highlighted that drivers can pay for crossings up to midnight the following day, regardless of whether the crossing details are visible online.