A single mum says she is facing a £231 fine and threats from bailiffs to pay their fees after the Dart Charge refused to take her payment.

Georgina Mcquone drove her regular journey from Leicester to visit her mum in Herne Bay, via the Dartford Crossing, over the April bank holiday weekend.

The 26-year-old says she attempted to pay for her two crossings – totalling £5 – online, but was greeted with error messages.

She tried to settle the matter over the phone the next day but the call centre was closed.

The mum-of-one tried again after the long weekend but the operator said she would now "have to wait for the fine to come through".

Ms Mcquone believed she had made an honest attempt to pay the fee and as she had made the trip countless times before, appealed the fine as the advisor explained to do.

She was then shocked to find another letter come through the door – this time saying her appeal had been refused.

"I have tried to pay about 25 times since – I have even tried to show them the 02 phone records," she said.

When she sought to discuss this over the phone, she says the operators were rude and unsympathetic.

She has also been fined different amounts for the two separate journeys despite both happening within the same window.

Fast forward some eight months and Ms Mcquone now faces a fine of £231.

Meanwhile letters for the fines have headed to her dad's house, the registered address of the car, and so claims she has not been given a full opportunity to reply.

Ms Mcquone says she was even taken to court over the charges without her knowledge.

"They have gone to court without me," she said. "I was not even given the chance to back myself up."

To worsen matters, bailiffs have been turning up demanding payment at the home of her 76-year-old father who is recovering from a stroke, something she says has only added more stress.

A firm called JBW Group Ltd demanded £385 in fees and threatened to seize her vehicle.

Dart Charge has since called the bailiffs off, although it said it would pursue the outstanding fines at Ms Mcquone's address.

Operations manager for Dart Charge, Nina Young, confirmed receipt of the witness statements but said these had been rejected as they were "unable to find any system issues".

She said: "I can advise Ms Mcquone submitted a representation against the penalty charge citing the grounds as there being a website issue while attempting to make a payment.

"This was reviewed by the appropriate team who were unable to find any system errors on the specified date, a rejection letter was therefore issued to Ms Mcquone's address.

"On this occasion, I have taken the decision to cease enforcement action against Ms Mcquone and reissue the outstanding penalty under new cover to her address."

Dart Charge declined to comment as to whether she had been wrongly advised by a call operator.

Ms Mcquone believes she has now been "jump started" back to where she started.

"I am a single mother with a young child I do not need this," she said.

"I was happy to pay the £5 for both crossings on the day I went south-bound, yet every single time I attempt to pay through the automated systems my payments fail.

"If the calls were recorded as they say they are, then they’d of heard me try and seek assistance with the system numerous times.

"Still to this day, the system is faulty, hence, I’ve now had to make an account to take money automatically so I don’t have to fight my own corner and lose continuously."

Her mum Sue Sanderson, of Sea Street, Herne Bay, says the incidents have stressed her daughter out and hopes it can be resolved soon.

"She is trying to look forward to her 18-month-old son’s first real Christmas," she said.

Last month, the Dart Charge marked its fifth anniversary, during which time it has generated more than £700 million.

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