Driver with two near identical personalised number plates keeps getting fines for the car parked in his garage
A DRIVER has racked up almost £500 in fines using the Dartford Tunnel because of a computer mix up.
Bob Long, 63, owns a fleet of vehicles with personalised number plates and regularly uses his Jeep, which has the reg '1 ONG', to travel on business using the automatic Dart Charge.
But ANPR cameras on the Dartford Tunnel are mistaking the licence plate for his rarely-used classic car which he keeps in the garage.
The 1959-era Fiat 500 has the plates '10 NG' and isn't registered to the automatic £2.50 charge - meaning Bob is getting stung with a £70 penalty notice every time he uses the tunnel.
Jeweller Bob, from Bungay in Suffolk, said: "Ever since I set up an automatic payment system on my jeep to make my life easier I've been getting these charges."
He continued: "I thought every time I go through a camera would just take a picture and the money is taken from my account and I don't have to think about it, but it is all messed up.
"What is happening is that when I go through with my jeep its registering it as my other car and I've been getting penalty notices."
He has racked up three penalty charges in recent weeks and the £70 notices jump to £150 if not paid within a certain time limit - meaning he could be forced to fork out as much as £450.
The dad-of-two said he has tried explaining the situation to the Dart Charge office but claims "it is falling on deaf ears".
He was told to register both cars but he said: "Why should I go through the hassle of doing that, the problem is with their system for not picking up the right licence plate, it is in't my fault."
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He added: "One of them admitted he doesn't know how to cure the problem.
"But I don't understand, I'm doing everything totally legal, I could understand if I moved the digits closer together but they are spaced correctly, as they should be, as the DVLA require."
Bob bought the "1 ONG" plate for £18,000 a couple of years ago and paid £35,000 for the Fiat 500 which came with the "10 NG" plate.
He owns a number of other plates which also relate to his surname.
Now he says he is looking forward to more charges coming through as he states he won't pay so he can be taken to court.
He said: "In a way I do hope they take me to court, it will expose them to be absolute idiots.
"If they think I'm going to pay they have got to be joking, I'd rather got to prison then pay them, why should I pay when I've done absolutely nothing wrong - they can go to hell."
He added: "They (courts) can't find against me, my case is one million percent water tight, I wouldn't let it get go to court otherwise, in fact I'm quite looking forward to getting the next ticket, to make them look such bloody idiots."
If he were to take an alternative and not use the Dartford Crossing, by travelling through North London, it would add at least an hour to his journey.
The Dart Charge system has been beset with a number of issues since the introduction of the remote payment system in April 2014.
A Highways England spokesperson has since said: "We are aware of Mr Long's situation.
"Our review team did check each of his crossings at the time and ensured that they were allocated to the correct vehicle.
"Unfortunately, a technical fault occurred which meant that the penalty charge notices were still generated in error.
"We have investigated the error, the notices have now been cancelled, and an apology is on its way to Mr Long."
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