Over the past two years, drivers have forfeited more than £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments, with the majority of the funds being retained by the Government.
An inquiry under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act disclosed that £1,812,379 of Dart Charge payments went unused in the 2023/24 financial year, in addition to the £1,790,559 unclaimed from the previous year, totaling £3,602,938 in unclaimed payments.
The Department for Transport (DfT) informed This is Money, the initiator of the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government does not refund the “vast majority” of these expired payments, thereby keeping the funds.
Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 per crossing and utilized by drivers at the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent, are valid for 12 months before expiration.
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Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month validity period. In cases where Dart Charge accounts become inactive, any remaining funds are reimbursed to the account holder using the original payment method.
The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicles passing through daily.
A spokesperson from the DfT informed This is Money that all Dart Charge revenue is channeled to the DfT and directed towards transportation initiatives benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing.
Mirror has reached out to the DfT for further comments. AA president Edmund King pointed out, “The original agreement for Dartford crossing was to cease tolls once construction costs were covered, a milestone met in 2003. However, the government opted to retain charges for traffic management and revenue purposes.”
The Transport Act 2000 established charging systems for trunk roads, bridges, and tunnels exceeding 600 meters, permitting the Highways Agency to continue toll collection.
In September 2025, the Government raised Dart Charge fees, marking the first increase since 2014. This move coincides with the approval for the Lower Thames Crossing, aimed at alleviating congestion at the Dartford Crossing.
The forthcoming crossing will link A2 and M2 in Kent to A13 and M25 in Essex via a 2.6-mile tunnel beneath the Thames, becoming the longest road tunnel in the UK.
Efforts on the project have been ongoing since 2009, with over £800 million of taxpayers’ money dedicated to planning.
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