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Dozens of people have contacted the �鶹�� over their experiences of Dart Charge debt collections. Figures obtained by the East Investigation Team show three bailiff firms contracted by Dart Charge collected £112m in the past five years. More than 2.3 million people have had their Dart Charge penalties passed to enforcement firms. In 2023, a fifth of all fines led to debt collection cases. In the first nine months of 2024 more than 2.7 million fines have been issued by Dart Charge; more than in any of the previous five full years. However, many of those cases were successfully appealed. National Highways told the �鶹�� that in each of these cases the person either did not have an active account when they made the crossing, or the payment method on the account had not been updated, which was why penalties were issued. They said “almost 95% of crossings are paid on time” and “enforcement agents are only used as a last resort." Charlotte Rose has been hearing from some of those affected. (Photo credit: Karl Hendon/�鶹��)