Dartford Crossing Issue 3.5m Fines!
It is quite staggering that nearly 3.5m fines have been issued to drivers for not paying the Dartford Crossing charge since the toll booths were removed nearly two years ago. Even more worrying is that, of the 3.5m, 745,000 relate to foreign vehicles. The outstanding ‘continental’ fines have been referred to the European debt recovery agency, but with little hope of success I would suggest. Rather than pursuing foreign vehicles for debt once they have been and gone, we should introduce a system whereby vehicles registered overseas must pay a deposit upon entry to the country and any tolls or fines are deducted from this sum. Any balance, full or partial, would then be credited back via an electronic payment system upon departure.
Cllr Clarence Barrett
Clarence,
Rather than suggesting that foreign vehicles pay a deposit, should you not be calling more strongly for the tolls to be scrapped?
If the foreign vehicles are lorries then they are already supposed to be paying the HGV levy, and if they are cars then do we want to discourage tourists from coming here?
John
John,
Notwithstanding the abolition of the toll, while it is there it should be a level playing field.