Drivers have forfeited over £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments over the past two years, with the Government retaining the majority of these funds. According to a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request, there were £1,812,379 in unclaimed Dart Charge payments in 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) informed This is Money, the entity behind the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government typically retains the majority of these expired payments without issuing refunds.
Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 each way, are utilized by drivers crossing the Dartford Crossing linking Essex and Kent and are valid for 12 months before expiration.
Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month expiry period. Dormant Dart Charge accounts are refunded the remaining balance back to the original payment method.
The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicle crossings daily, and all Dart Charge revenue is directed to the DfT for transportation projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing.
Following the toll payment completion milestone in 2003, the government decided to continue toll charges at the Dartford Crossing for traffic management and revenue generation purposes, contrary to the original agreement.
The Transport Act 2000 allowed for charging schemes on major road infrastructure, including the Dartford Crossing, to continue beyond the construction cost repayment period. In September 2025, the Government raised the Dart Charge fees for the first time since 2014.
The new Lower Thames Crossing, approved by the Government, aims to alleviate congestion at the Dartford Crossing by connecting Kent’s A2 and M2 to Essex’s A13 and M25 through a 2.6-mile tunnel under the Thames, set to be the UK’s lengthiest road tunnel.
Ongoing since 2009, the Lower Thames Crossing project has incurred over £800 million in taxpayer funds for planning.