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#Post#: 128206--------------------------------------------------
Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while away
DIR By: sfly
Date: August 19, 2026, 6:53 am
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Hi all,
I’d appreciate some advice on a Dart Charge PCN I’ve received.
I crossed the Dartford Crossing at 06:04. At the time I
genuinely thought it was just before 6am and therefore outside
the charging period. Clearly I was mistaken and, to be fair, I
should have checked the time more carefully but didn’t.
I was actually on my way to Dover to catch a ferry at the time,
and then went abroad for a month. So by the time I returned home
and saw the PCN, the 14-day period had long since expired.
The PCN says:
“This is the first time this vehicle has crossed without
payment. We will cancel the penalty charge if you pay £3.50
within 14 days from the date of service.”
So I would happily have paid the £3.50 had I actually seen the
notice, but I was away for the whole of the period in which that
option was available.
I’m not disputing that the crossing took place at 06:04 or that
the £3.50 charge was due. I’m really just wondering what my best
approach is now.
From what I’ve read here, Dart Charge can sometimes be fairly
reasonable in circumstances like this. Is it worth challenging
the PCN and explaining that I was literally on my way to the
ferry when the crossing occurred and was then abroad for the
entire period in which they offered to accept the original £3.50
charge?
Obviously, I've still got my ferry booking details so I can
prove I had left the country.
If so, is there any particular wording or grounds you would
recommend using?
PCN attached with personal details obscured.
Thanks in advance.
HTML https://imgpile.com/p/sOu8IM7
#Post#: 128264--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: August 19, 2026, 2:37 pm
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Just submit reps based on what you have told us, and include
your ferry details. Ask that they accept the £3.50 in view of
the circumstances which prevented you paying. Submit a draft
here for review before submitting.
#Post#: 128286--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: sfly
Date: August 20, 2026, 12:56 am
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Something like this?
I am writing to ask that you exercise discretion in relation to
this PCN and allow me to pay the original £3.50 crossing charge.
The crossing was recorded at 06:04. At the time, I genuinely
believed it was just before 6am and therefore outside the
charging period. My clock was incorrect and I did not realise I
had crossed four minutes after charging commenced. I accept that
I should have checked the time more carefully and that the £3.50
crossing charge was due.
The reason I was unable to take advantage of the first-time
concession offered in the PCN is that I was actually on my way
to Dover to catch a ferry when the crossing took place. I left
the UK that day and was away for approximately a month. I can
provide my ferry booking/details as evidence of this.
Consequently, I did not see the PCN until I returned home, by
which time the 14-day period allowing me to pay £3.50 and have
the penalty cancelled had already expired.
The PCN itself confirms that this was the first time this
vehicle had crossed without payment and that, had I received and
seen the notice while I was at home, I would have been able to
resolve the matter simply by paying the £3.50 charge. I would
certainly have done so.
I am therefore asking you to take into account the circumstances
which genuinely prevented me from responding within the 14-day
period and to exercise discretion by reinstating the original
offer, allowing me to pay the £3.50 crossing charge and
cancelling the penalty.
I am not seeking to avoid the crossing charge and am happy to
pay the £3.50 immediately.
Thank you for considering my representation.
Or should I just call them and see if they're nicer on the
phone?
#Post#: 128364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: August 20, 2026, 11:16 am
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No harm in calling them, they have usually been reasonable in
the past.
#Post#: 128365--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: tincombe
Date: August 20, 2026, 11:21 am
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I can provide my ferry booking/details as evidence of this.
Hopefully you mean 'pl see my outbound and inbound ferry details
attached'.
#Post#: 128388--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: AnyNameWillDo
Date: August 20, 2026, 3:32 pm
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Legal basis to charge appears to be this one
The A282 Trunk Road (Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Charging Scheme)
Order 2013
The penalty element and appeals are here
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1783/regulation/8
The key bit appears to be 9.b.ii
that there are compelling reasons why, in the particular
circumstances of the case, the penalty charge notice should be
cancelled.
AFAIK they would need to go to court to extract anything other
than the £3.50 and that would be a waste of the court's time
(the compelling reason)
See what others think
#Post#: 128393--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: fraser.mitchell
Date: August 20, 2026, 3:52 pm
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think you're wrong, but here is the full clause: -
--- Quote ---
> (9) It is the duty of a charging authority to whom
representations are duly made under this regulation—
>
> (a)to consider them and any supporting evidence which the
person making them provides; and
>
> (b)within the period of 56 days beginning with the date on
which the representations were served on it, to serve on that
person notice of its decision as to whether or not it accepts—
>
> (i)that one or more of the grounds in paragraph (3) has been
established; or
>
> (ii)that there are compelling reasons why, in the particular
circumstances of the case, the penalty charge notice should be
cancelled.
>
--- End Quote ---
#Post#: 128401--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: AnyNameWillDo
Date: August 20, 2026, 10:03 pm
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Is this not an Out of Time Appeal (TE7/TE9) on the basis of not
receiving the paperwork. Is there something on the Dart Charge
paperwork to this effect?
#Post#: 128407--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: tincombe
Date: August 21, 2026, 2:53 am
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Nowhere near, I'm afraid.
HTML https://www.tpt.gov.uk/appeals-process-dart-charge/
#Post#: 128432--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dart Charge PCN – missed first-time £3.50 concession while
away
DIR By: sfly
Date: August 21, 2026, 8:16 am
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Just for everybody's information,
I called them and spoke to a helpful operator and mentioned that
I hadn't seen the time and I was only four minutes over and
explained that I did have proof that I was out of the country
for a month.
She didn't even ask for that proof.
She just went away for a couple of minutes and came back and
said they had reduced the charge to £3.50 and put me through to
the payment line.
So I suspect it was probably because I was within a few minutes
of the start time of charges, and paid it over the phone and got
a reference number.
but they seemed a lot more helpful than any other parking
company you can phone.
So it's resolved now.
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