Don't cross often, did a return today.
Went to pay. It told me there was a new system to "try".
New system told me I'd only made one crossing, wouldn't let me pay for two.
Assumed a glitch, didn't want run the risk, so used old system
Old system wouldn't tell me how many crossings I'd made at all, but took a fiver.
Got a receipt.
New system will accept the receipt number, and tells me that I made one crossing. The info there is wrong. It has me down for northbound, tunnel, at the time of my southbound, bridge, and no trace of a return.
New system also denies I have paid five pounds.
Am I in for a penalty, or should I call them and hopelessly explain, or just leave it?
I have to do it all again next weekend too.
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I had a "prepay" account to cover my less than regular crossings. It was populated with £10 at a time, and that was defrayed by each crossing. It was relatively convenient, and not a great investment as, at the time it attracted a reasonable discount per crossing.
Due to COVID, the account remained inactive for longer than the expiry duration, and they closed it, albeit I reasonably easily obtained a refund of the small balance.
The discount has also now been reduced (if not entirely removed).
I now have a "paygo" account, with a registered payment card that gets debited automatically. (I keep a card with only a small balance on it that is useful for such things). If they don't collect the crossing fee for one of the registered numbers, it's then their issue not mine.
BTW, they state that crossings may take 48 hours to hit the system; if you have an attributable receipt you should be ok.
Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Sat 11 Mar 23 at 20:01
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I thought I read a few years ago that the tolls would be coming to an end as they'd now paid for whatever they were paying for. Maybe that was the Severn crossing.
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>> I thought I read a few years ago that the tolls would be coming to
>> an end as they'd now paid for whatever they were paying for. Maybe that was
>> the Severn crossing.
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Sorry, that was me picking my self up after laughing! :-D
On a more serious note, yes they were going to stop taking money after it had been paid for but reneged, claiming that to do so would increase congestion. So they decided to spend the money on a new crossing:
nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/lower-thames-crossing/what-is-the-lower-thames-crossing/the-lower-thames-crossing-route/
but this has been put on ice!
Crooks, the lot of them.
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Set up an account or PAYG like TNE, it's easier.
I have an account and have my car, Mrs Z and Miss Z's cars on it. Saves the hassle.
I think there is a 50p discount per trip.
Keep an eye out, as you said, it can take a few days for the crossing to appear.
I have had a few journeys not register. Perhaps 2 in a 30 or 40. Also remember that crossing between 22:01 and 05:59 is free, in case you were really early or late.
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Is the Woolwich ferry still free? Used it once, only because I'd never used it before and I had plenty of time on my hands. An interesting experience.
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>> Is the Woolwich ferry still free? Used it once, only because I'd never used it
>> before and I had plenty of time on my hands. An interesting experience.
Yes its still free, and you are right its an interesting experience if you have the time. As is things in the west country, like the King Harry.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 12 Mar 23 at 10:31
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As a lad I loved cycling from my home (E12 5EN) to the Woolwich ferry and going back and forwards a few times. 6 and a bit miles according to Google Maps.
I drove back to my home area for a mooch around last summer but the roads were so busy all the way towards the ferry that I turned round just beyond East Ham town hall. I can't imagine it being much pleasure to cycle it now, particularly as a 12yo which is probably about what I was when I was doing it.
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>> As a lad I loved cycling from my home (E12 5EN) to the Woolwich ferry
>> and going back and forwards a few times. 6 and a bit miles according to
>> Google Maps.
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The club I belonged to in my youth, (Easterley Road Club, based in Manor Park) used to go down to Kent on some of it's winter club runs. The meeting point was at the ferry, which used to take us across and back again after a long, hilly day down south.
Prior to that myself and a few mates used to ride down their where we'd get the ferry across and use the foot tunnel to come back, which we cycled through although it was not allowed. If we did not dismount before the lift attendant saw us he wouldn't let us on and we'd have to carry the bikes up the stairs.
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I'd forgotten the tunnel! But I can picture it clearly now.
I'm fairly sure I remember that there were old ferries, and them being replaced too, now I think about it.
Last edited by: smokie on Sun 12 Mar 23 at 14:51
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>> As is things in the west country, like the King Harry.
Honeymooned in St Mawes, fifty-odd years ago. Used it extensively then. Went back a few years ago and I don't think it had changed.
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I use it a fair bit, I would say its missed 20% of my crossings. Dont worry about penalties, your first one is a get out of jail free card, they tell you to pay the standard crossing fee, no penalty.
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 11 Mar 23 at 23:26
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Well, thanks for replies.
I use it about once or twice a year, so never set up an account or anything. I did miss paying once last year, got the penalty notice, and then as zero says, they let me off. So not sure that would happen again.
Oh well, at this point I’ve done two crossings, and have email receipts for payment, so I have strong grounds to argue if needs be.
I was surprised the system was a clunky as it was. I’m sure in the past I put in the reg and it said yep, here the crossings for that reg, now pay for them. It doesn’t do that any more.
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>> I use it a fair bit, I would say its missed 20% of my crossings.
>> Dont worry about penalties, your first one is a get out of jail free card,
>> they tell you to pay the standard crossing fee, no penalty.
Pre Covid we probably used it in one direction or the other two or three times a year. Even by 2018/19 we were doing so less often due to using Western Channel routes to France. Satnav also brought the realisation that the time and distances via M1/M25/M20 and A43/M40/M25/M26/M20 are almost identical. Coming back from Dover with the 'van behind it's quite easy to be shuffling along at 55 in lane 1 and end up the M26 by default
Same as others here I had an account with both cars on it but it was closed after the pandemic as, for obvious reasons, we didn't use it for over a year.
Early last year we went down to Kent for the weekend and only realised late on the we needed to pay. Did so but after the deadline and a PCN/Notice to Owner turned up in the post. As Zero says having paid and being able to claim some confusion over the closed account gave us a get out of gaol card.
Now back where we were pre Covid with an account but had not actually used it in the year to Jan 23. However, this time we asked them to keep it open and have been through both ways since.
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Dartford crossing - tyrednemotional
