More than one million drivers have been at risk of receiving fines for using the Dartford Crossing after an IT issue invalidated card payments.
National Highways switched IT providers last year with drivers since needing to revalidate their card details to the new system.
Despite 1.7 million account holders, only 770,000 were able to update their details as requested with the rest being left vulnerable to fines.
The Dartford Crossing is operated by National Highways and charges drivers £2.50 for a single journey, as it connects Kent and Essex.
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Toll charges £2.50 for a single journey
GETTYBut as more drivers are using the toll route, the IT issue have left many with unnecessary fines with some as much as nearly £200.
Drivers need to pay the charge if they use the crossing between 6am and 10pm every day, including at weekends and on bank holidays.
The only exception to this is for motorbikes, mopeds or quad bikes which are able to cross without paying and those who get free UK vehicle tax because of a disability.
The crossing carries over 50 million vehicles a year, with roughly 135,000 vehicles going through it every day.
In response to the IT issues, a National Highways spokesperson said: “When we changed providers for the Dart Charge Service at the end of July 2023, due to banking regulations all of our 1.7 million account holders had to re-validate their card details in order for us to continue taking payments for crossings made.
“All account holders were contacted in advance and prompted online, and to date 770,000 account holders have successfully updated their accounts.
“The Dartford Crossing has around 4.5 million crossings per month and the vast majority of crossings are paid without issue.
“A number of things can cause a Dart Charge account to close, including inactivity or invalid payment details.”
The agency added that in these instances “several” notifications are sent to advise the customer of the account status and detail actions needed.
However, infrequent users can have their accounts closed and will need to ensure their details are up to date and there is a valid payment method on their account.
The spokesperson added: “All customers that receive a Penalty Charge Notice can submit a challenge. All challenges are reviewed on an individual basis and decisions are made based on the circumstances and evidence provided.
“National Highways have taken steps to stop PCN’s being issued to customers due to issues faced during the transition to the new service and have been reducing or cancelling penalties where appropriate when an appeal is received from affected customers.”
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The Dartford Crossing carries around 50 million vehicles every yearPADrivers who fail to pay the “Dart Charge” on time are issued a penalty notice and are fined £70, but can be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.
If the motorist fails to pay the change within 28 days, they will be required to pay £105.