Drivers have forfeited over £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments over the past two years, with the majority of the funds being retained by the Government. According to a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request, there were £1,812,379 in unclaimed Dart Charge payments during the 2023/24 fiscal year, in addition to £1,790,559 from the previous year, totaling £3,602,938 in unused payments.
The Department for Transport (DfT) disclosed to This is Money, who initiated the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government retains the “vast majority” of these expired payments without issuing refunds. Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 each way, are utilized by drivers to cross the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent, remaining valid for 12 months before expiration.
Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month expiration window. In cases where Dart Charge accounts become inactive, any remaining funds are reimbursed to the account holder using the original payment information. The Dartford Crossing sees daily traffic from as many as 180,000 vehicles.
In response to inquiries, a DfT spokesperson stated that all Dart Charge revenue is channeled to the DfT and allocated to transportation projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing. The Mirror reached out to the DfT for further comment. AA president Edmund King highlighted that the Dartford Crossing tolls were originally intended to cease once the bridge construction costs were covered, a milestone achieved in 2003. However, the Government opted to maintain the charges for traffic management and revenue generation.
The introduction of charging schemes for large road infrastructure under the Transport Act 2000 allowed the Highways Agency to continue implementing crossing fees. The Government raised the Dart Charge in September 2025, following the last increase in 2014. Additionally, approval has been granted for the Lower Thames Crossing project, aimed at alleviating congestion at the Dartford Crossing. This new crossing will link the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 and M25 in Essex through a 2.6-mile tunnel under the Thames, set to be the UK’s longest road tunnel.
Since 2009, progress has been ongoing on the Lower Thames Crossing project, with over £800 million in taxpayer funds allocated for planning purposes. Opting for Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News ensures prompt access to your preferred news updates.