Changes to how motorists will pay the Dart Charge will come into force next month.

National Highways has announced it will be using new a service provider for its payment system for journeys across the Dartford Crossing.

Conduent will be responsible for vehicle identification, payment processing and account management while French company emovis will continue to issue and handle inquiries for fines.

The changes, along with new banking requirements, mean account holders will need to re-validate their payment cards from July 28, including pay as you go customers.

If motorists do not take action, any crossings will not be paid automatically and could result in a fine.

Head of road user charging, Helen Watkinson, said: “We are really excited about the changes to Dart Charge.

“We have worked hard to design a customer centric service with the new suppliers, really putting the customer at the heart of our design.

“Whilst there are improvements from day one, we have further exciting improvements in the pipeline to further enhance the service offer and offer customers more flexibility. We will announce further changes as they come online.

“We thank our customers for their feedback which has helped to design the new service and look forward to continuing that customer relationship to further improve the service.”

The changes have been made to improve the website making it easier and more accessible, according to National Highways.

In 2021 It was revealed more than £1 million could be owed to users of the Crossing whose accounts have been automatically closed due to inactivity.

Others have had threats from bailiffs to pay their fees after claiming to have encountered glitches and error messages with the system.

Fees were originally meant to be scrapped after the debt of the construction of the bridge was repaid, yet years down the line it still remains with car drivers currently paying £2.50 or £2 if you have an account.

Motorists can pay the charge online, by phone and at various retail outlets, prior to or up to the day after using the crossing.