National Highways is giving drivers who failed to update their Dart Charge payment card details before last night’s 11.59pm deadline 14 days to pay any charge before they will be fined.

The extension applies to those drivers who made crossings from July 27, when a new payment system went live.

This saw motorists struggle to access it, with one customer telling Fleet News he had spent all day on three devices trying to pay the Dart Charge for two crossings he made when the new system went live. Phone lines were also jammed, he said.

 Non-account holders who used the crossing between those dates were originally given until August 15 to pay the charge.

Dart Charge account holders, meanwhile, were given until August 31 to update their card details on the website.

A National Highways spokesperson yesterday told Fleet News: “By August 31, all accounts should be up to date with all crossings, and these will reflect in the customer’s account balance.

“Initially customers who fail to update their payment card details will be offered a further 14 days upon receiving the PCN to pay the Road User Charge (RUC).

“Following the extra 14 days, failure to pay the RUC will result in the amount to be paid increasing to £70 plus RUC.

“We are mindful that the process has not been without issues, which is why we have designed the PCN process to give the registered vehicle keepers a final prompt to either update their payment card details and/or pay the RUC.”

He added: “Customers who haven’t made a crossing since Thursday, July 27, and aren’t regular users of their accounts can update their payment card details at any point in the future when they intend to use the crossing.”

National Highways had advised drivers ahead of the new payment system going live that they would need to re-validate their payment cards for the Dart Charge.

A new company became responsible for vehicle identification, payment processing and account management from Friday, July 28. 

Conduent became responsible for the payment system used for journeys across the Dartford Crossing over the River Thames, while Emovis are continuing to issue and handle enquiries for PCNs.