Response to BBC claims on Dart Charge enforcement

We know that customers who choose to open an account have every intention of paying for their crossings. Our aim is to make it quick and easy for them to pay. 

We offer multiple payment options to suit everyone’s needs and use enforcement agents only as a last resort. We always encourage customers to contact us early so we can resolve issues fairly and openly. 

While almost 95 per cent of crossings are paid on time without complication, we’ve worked hard to address customer concerns and improve our service. It’s only fair to those who always pay on time that we have processes to ensure everyone does.  

Customers are responsible for managing their accounts and responding to any correspondence they receive. From missing a crossing payment to an enforcement officer’s visit, customers receive a minimum of four different letters over at least 10 weeks per case. 

Penalty charge notices (PCNs) clearly outline the steps to take. It’s important for customers to contact us early (online, via phone, by email or by post). Should there be any confusion, our daily telephone service is available from 8am to 8pm, with wait times currently under a minute.  

To clarify assertions from the BBC’s reporting:  

• Claims that an enforcement officer visited a customer within a week of receiving a notice are incorrect. By law, agents must wait seven days before visiting, and Dart Charge has extended this to 14 days to give customers more time to challenge.   
• In all three cases, the accounts weren’t kept up-to-date, and payment card details weren’t updated. Accounts only become dormant when customers don’t update their information, despite being given extra time and reminders.  
• Customers can challenge a PCN within 28 days by writing to Dart Charge. All PCNs are paused when a challenge is received and stay paused until we respond. If no payment or challenge is made, or if a notice of rejection is issued, multiple reminders are sent to the vehicle’s registered keeper using DVLA records before enforcement action takes place.  
• The report states that more penalty notices were issued, and more cases were passed to enforcement firms in early 2024 than in the past five years. This was partly due to a backlog from a three-month delay, which has now been resolved.  
• There are no extra charges for texts or calls. Fees are controlled through legislation and added according to the Taking Control of Goods Act (fees) 2014: £75 for a notice of enforcement and £235 for an enforcement visit.  
• Penalty notices never show up on a customer’s account. If there’s enough credit or a valid payment card, the crossing charge is settled. If not, a penalty notice is issued but isn’t linked to the account. 
• The Local Resident Discount Scheme (LRDS) offers two options: £20 for unlimited yearly crossings or £10 for 50 crossings. If the limit is exceeded, customers must top up to avoid a PCN. 
• It’s incorrect to say that 1 million accounts were suspended in July 2023. There were a high proportion of accounts where cards needed to be revalidated, but we provided extra time for customers to update their details. 

More generally, the issues following the switchover to the service provider in July 2023 have been resolved. Most customers are successfully paying or challenging PCNs. Only 1 per cent of crossings involve enforcement agents, thanks to a clear process for challenging PCNs. 

The process for paying or challenging a PCN remains unchanged and user-friendly. The transition to our new provider included a digital standards assessment with user research and testing. 

Our enforcement agents are well-trained, especially in dealing with vulnerable customers, and operate within legal confines.