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A growing number of drivers from various parts of the UK are receiving fines for unpaid journeys on the Dartford Crossing, even though they have never used it. The issue appears to stem from Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras misidentifying vehicles with similar license plates, leading to mistaken penalties.
The problem, highlighted by a recent BBC East investigation, follows a switch to a new service provider in July 2023, which has been blamed for ongoing glitches in the Dart Charge system. National Highways acknowledged that “in a minority of circumstances, penalty charges are issued in error,” assuring drivers that such charges will be canceled if they are not the registered keepers of the vehicle in question.
Anne Marie Kenyon, a deputy headteacher from Greater Manchester, received two fines despite living hundreds of miles from the crossing. The first fine was due to a number plate starting with “DY” instead of her “DV,” and the second was for a plate beginning with “OV.” Although both fines were eventually canceled, Kenyon expressed frustration with the process and worries it could happen again.
In another case, Berkshire resident Eleanor Vousden, who frequently visits Dartford, was fined for a crossing she did not make on Christmas Eve. The vehicle in question was a silver Honda with a number plate nearly identical to hers, except for one letter. The fine was canceled after she contacted Dart Charge, but the experience left her questioning how often such mistakes occur.
Mike Adams, a worker at Paktech Ltd. in Rochester, faced a different challenge when he was unable to pay for a crossing due to the Dart Charge system failing to recognize the license plate of a hired vehicle. By the time he resolved the issue, it was too late to pay, forcing him into a penalty situation. Adams expressed frustration at what he views as a system flaw that penalizes innocent drivers.
National Highways advises drivers to pay for crossings by midnight the following day, even if their journey is not immediately visible online. The agency claims to offer multiple payment methods to reduce stress, but the growing number of erroneous fines raises concerns about the reliability of the Dart Charge system.