Fleets hit by more issues with new Dart Charge payments

Fleets are still encountering problems with a new payment system for the Dart Charge three months after it was first introduced.

A new company became responsible for vehicle identification, payment processing and account management for the Dart Charge from July 28.

Conduent took over the payment system used for journeys across the Dartford Crossing over the River Thames, while Emovis are continuing to issue and handle enquiries for penalty charge notices (PCNs). 

However, the changeover left many drivers struggling to update their accounts, pay charges or speak to anyone at the call centre with phone lines jammed.

One driver told Fleet News he had spent all day on three devices trying to pay the Dart Charge for two crossings he made when the new system went live.

Last month, roads minister Richard Holden said a fix had been deployed, adding that since the changeover to the new payment service, there had been “very high customer demand”.

More than one million individual customers had used the website, 40,000 had opened new accounts and more than 404,000 have updated their payment card details.

In addition, 1.2 million payments have been made across the multiple channels and account types.

In a letter to local MP, Gareth Johnson, Holden acknowledged that some users had encountered technical problems and National Highways had been acting quickly to solve these with the system supplier, Conduent.

He added that additional staff members have been recruited to the customer call centre to help deal with the situation.

However, fleets say that they are still facing long waits to get through to the call centre, having not received replies to email enquiries, while some say accounts have been suspended.

After having his account suspended when the new payment system went live, one fleet manager was able to get it reinstated along with his direct debit, only to find out last week it had been suspended again.

“I keep trying to phone but I’m always about 70th in the queue and I’ve had no reply from the three emails I’ve sent so I'm stuck again,” he said.

National Highways, which is responsible for the crossing, told Fleet News that the majority of customers are now able to access their account, make payments and access services without issue on the website.  

“We have increased staffing levels at our customer contact centre and have seen our average wait times for calls drop to two minutes,” the spokesperson added.  

"So far over half a million Dart Charge account holders have updated their payment card details, and we are seeing 20,000 successful payments and over 1,000 Dart Charge accounts opened daily through the website and contact centre.

"In response to some of the issues we have seen, we have extended the time Dart Charge account holders have to update their account details, top up their balance and settle any crossings made from five days to 10 days and this will continue until we are confident that the service has stabilised.”

National Highways says it will consider any representations and appeals fairly against penalty charges in recognition of the earlier problems experienced accessing the service.

It is also continuing to review the Dart Charge performance daily to resolve issues and to improve the service for our customers.