Navigating the Dartford Crossing Autopay Suspension: A Frustrating Experience
Hello, fellow commuters and Dartford Crossing users,
I wanted to share my recent experience with the Dartford Crossing Autopay system, as it has left me quite perplexed and financially impacted. As someone who relies on this crossing for my daily commute, I have consistently maintained an active Autopay account with adequate funds. However, a few days ago, I was taken aback to receive a series of penalty notices indicating non-payment, despite my account status.
Upon logging into my account, I discovered that it had been suspended, and I was met with no prior notification. I thoroughly checked my email, SMS messages, and my bank account—all to no avail. There were no alerts about a failed payment or insufficient funds, which is typically the protocol when encountering issues with automatic payments.
After appealing the penalties, I was disappointed to find that my challenge was denied. In just a matter of days, I accumulated a staggering 30 fines, which is a substantial burden. The only indication I had of my account suspension was through these penalty letters.
In light of this situation, I have reached out to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal to present my case. Here’s the evidence I’ve gathered to support my claim:
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Screen Recording of Payment History: I documented my banking app activity, which shows the last successful payment made to Dartford, as well as the absence of attempts to charge my card afterward.
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Split-Screen Video Evidence: I created a video that simultaneously displays my Dartford account and my email inbox, including the junk folder. This 10-minute clip demonstrates that I manually topped up my account but did not receive any confirmation or receipt emails, indicating a potential malfunction in their notification system.
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SMS Confirmation: I captured a screenshot of my SMS history, which illustrates that I did not receive any communication stating that my account would be suspended.
Interestingly, my last email correspondence from Dartford was in January, suggesting that their notification system may have been ineffective for months, if not longer.
I’m reaching out to this community with a couple of questions:
- Have any of you faced a similar experience with your Autopay account being suspended without prior notice or communication?
- With the evidence I have presented, do you believe the Traffic Penalty Tribunal may rule in my favor?
Thank you for any insights, shared experiences, or advice you may