Dartford's MP is “disappointed” at ongoing problems with the Dartford Crossing payment system, following the AA's public release of complaints from some motorists who were double-charged for journeys.
The breakdown company have found frustrated drivers are encountering system problems when using DartCharge online, and being debited twice.
An AA spokesman said: “What could have been dismissed as an irritating but not unexpected teething problem, which should have been quickly resolved, has turned into a potential Achilles heel for DartCharge.
“With the London Congestion Charging scheme now well-established, the AA argues that it wasn’t ‘rocket science’ for a similar scheme to be introduced successfully for the Dartford Crossing.”
Warning signs on approach to the Dartford Crossing
One AA customer who was double-charged on February 18 complained about the customer service, in an email to DartCharge which was forwarded on to the AA.
The email read: “I booked in advance 18/2/15 and on the first attempt your website failed and told me to try again.
“Please can you investigate the fact that when I checked my bank last night you have taken two payments for this transaction.
“I tried to phone your customer services number as quoted on the website and the chap I spoke to had a very poor attitude to my complaint saying ‘yea [sic] a lot of people have been getting this’... ‘you need to email customer services and tell them…’
“I appreciate that sometimes things go wrong but I am very annoyed at the attitude of your staff and their unwillingness to help me.”
According to the AA, this complaint remains unresolved after the driver stopped chasing up a refund.
Another AA customer was charged £1.67 twice for an identical northbound journey, made on April 13 at 3.09pm.
AA president Edmund King said: “Another new government scheme for drivers has produced unintended consequences, resulting in a backlash from the people it was supposed to serve.
“The tolls and charges were supposed to be lifted in 2003.
“We expect appeals to ramp up in the coming months and if the authority does not act quickly to reduce errors it could be embarrassing.”
The old-style toll booths have been replaced by DartCharge
Recently re-elected Dartford MP Gareth Johnson said: “It’s disappointing these problems are continuing.
"Whilst we are seeing improvements in the traffic flow, there have been continuous administrative problems that the Highways Agency haven’t been able to get on top of.
“I met with the members of the Highways Agency before the elections to discuss teething problems and I am disappointed these problems are continuing to affect drivers.
“I would urge any Dartford resident experiencing problems to contact my office and I will endeavour to help them resolve their problems.”
Gareth Johnson at the Dartford Crossing
Some 400 appeals have been considered by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal since the new payment method was introduced in November.
There are more than 44m chargeable journeys over the Dartford Crossing every year, and DartCharge give warnings before penalties to first-time non-payers.
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A Highways England spokesman said: “The vast majority of the 100,000 chargeable crossings at Dartford made each day are processed accurately and smoothly.
“Given the scale of transactions from time-to-time errors will be made for which we apologise unreservedly.
“When we are made aware of issues we work with customers to resolve them as quickly as possible.
“We continue working hard to ensure that errors are kept to an absolute minimum.”
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