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 unused Dart Charge payments in the 2023/24 fiscal year, in addition to £1,790,559 from the previous year, totaling £3,602,938 in unclaimed payments.
The Department for Transport (DfT) informed This is Money, the entity that submitted the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government retains the “vast majority” of these expired payments without issuing refunds. Dart Charge payments, which cost £3.50 each way and are utilized by drivers crossing the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent, are valid for 12 months before expiring.
Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month expiration period. Dormant Dart Charge accounts have any remaining funds refunded back to the account holder utilizing the original payment information. The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicles passing through daily.
A spokesperson from the DfT stated that all Dart Charge revenue is directed to the DfT and allocated to transportation projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing. The Mirror has reached out to the DfT for additional comments. AA president Edmund King highlighted the history of the Dartford crossing tolls, which were initially planned to cease once construction costs were covered, a milestone achieved in 2003. However, the government decided to maintain the charges for traffic management and revenue purposes.
The Transport Act 2000 enabled charging schemes for trunk roads, bridges, and tunnels exceeding 600m (1,969ft), permitting the Highways Agency to continue charging crossing fees. In September 2025, the Government increased the Dart Charge, marking the first adjustment since 2014. This change coincides with the approval of the Lower Thames Crossing project, aimed at alleviating congestion at the Dartford Crossing.
The Lower Thames Crossing will link the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 and M25 in Essex through a 2.6-mile tunnel beneath the Thames, becoming the UK’s longest road tunnel. Planning for the project, initiated in 2009, has consumed over £800 million in taxpayer funds.