UTCN Appeal Information Pay-later

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Here’s some scenarios where we believe you should pay a UTCN relating to late payment of a "pay later" journey, and recommend you pay at the earliest opportunity to prevent the amount increasing:

 

• You simply forgot and many days have passed since your journey, we could argue about whether you should or should not pay, or whether the enforcement process is legal or not, however if you do not fall into one of the reasonable reasons below we believe in all honesty you should pay. 

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Here’s some scenarios where we believe you should consider appealing a UTCN

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• You had a very good reason why you were not able to pay in time such as you were admitted to hospital, were detained by the Police, were planning to pay but the long haul flight or ferry transport you were on was severely disrupted and you did not have access to internet. All these things you should be able to show cast iron evidence to support your case - we can't promise they will accept them, but to us they seem reasonable. 

• There was not adequate road side signage on the approaches to the tunnel with a "Pay by Midnight Tomorrow" message as seen on similar schemes such as M50 Dublin Toll road or Dart Crossing. We argue that the small sign s are inadequate and (at time of writing July 2022) still mostly not properly illuminated rendering them useless in darkness hours especially when rainy / snowy. 

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• They must improve the signage on the approaches as quickly as possible even with better temporary signage until the full Tyne Pass road layout is in place.

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Pay point receipts:

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Loads of cases of people paying diligently, keeping the receipts and hey presto piles of UTCN's arriving in the post or retailers unaware that they are able to accept TT2 toll payments or indeed how to process them. Appeal - send photos, use the  instructions on TT2 website. Keep your payment receipt for your records in case you need to use it as evidence. These are likely to be teething issues only as PayPoint is a very widely used national system.

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Payment error:

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This is an ongoing saga, the payment website doesn't accept the payment no matter what card you use. Screenshot if you remember at the time, email them immediately, appeal the UTCN.

 

The solution for this is for them to change the error message from "error" to "error - please try an alternative browser, check you have a strong internet connection or pay using our automated payment line on 0191 xxxxxxxxxxx , your local pay point retailer etc"  This then gives the customer real time options to try instead if the contact centre has shut for the night.

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In these cases:

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Firstly we recommend that you sign up for the pre-paid app if you use the tunnel regularly, it's cheaper per journey for you, you are less likely to get a future UTCN and you can mention in your appeal that your are trying to avoid this happening again. Even if you only use the tunnel a few times a year it's worth doing as it is cheaper per journey and you can top up before the journey (At least an hour before is our advice, it is not always an immediate transaction) But in any event you have until midnight the day after your journey to make the payment.

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We highly recommend you also keep a screenshot  / photo of the wording you choose to submit on the appeals system (copy it before you press the submit button as it disappears!!)  This then gives you additional proof that you have submitted the appeal and the wording that you used. Also we have heard of cases where the appeals system has not registered the appeal / been ignored. 

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NEXT:

 

Go to the appeals website and choose the sample wording relevant to your case: 

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When I tried to pay, the Payment website/system was down /System didn’t recognise the SOC /System wouldn’t accept my card despite repeated attempts.

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I tried to call the customer service centre, several times but got no answer after waiting on line for [XXINS£ERT]. OR it was closed.

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I sent DM/email/social media post/twitter asking for help, but got none.

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The system error message did not give me  suggested alternative routes to make payment.

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In light of the above I believe the UTCN issued to be unfair , and ask that you cancel it immediately.

 

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If you have already paid your UTCN and don't think you should have based on the above: 

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Neither TT2 nor NECA will release a copy of the 'Business Rules' referred to within the appeals process for us to check what the rules actually are - which is a bit like playing chess with your opponent without having any idea of what the rules are in advance.

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We think that is patently unfair, especially as there is no independent appeals panel and TT2 keep all enforcement income.

 

We know that some customers have had previous UTCN's deemed invalid and cancelled demonstrating that there was an obvious flaw in their process or systems.   

 

For this reason if you have an historical UTCN which you have already paid, we think you should ask for this to be reviewed if you fall into one of these reasons above, and urge you to write to TT2 to request a refund if you have paid up and already had your appeal declined at any of the 3 current stages.  

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We recommend that if you do not receive a satisfactory response you write to your MP and ask them to take it up on your behalf. 

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