Drivers have lost over £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments over the last two years, with the majority of these funds being retained by the Government. A recent Freedom of Information request disclosed that 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 unused payments.
The Department for Transport (DfT) informed This is Money, which initiated the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government typically does not refund the vast majority of these expired payments, therefore keeping the funds. Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 each way and utilized by drivers crossing the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent, are valid for 12 months before expiration.
Drivers can 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, used by up to 180,000 vehicles daily, generates revenue that is allocated to transport projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing.
The Dartford Crossing tolls were initially intended to cease once construction costs were covered, a milestone achieved in 2003. However, the government chose to retain the charges to manage traffic and raise general revenue. The Transport Act 2000 enabled charging schemes for significant road infrastructure, allowing the Highways Agency to continue collecting crossing fees for crossings exceeding 600 meters.
In September 2025, the Government raised the Dart Charge, marking the first increase since 2014. This decision coincided with the approval for the Lower Thames Crossing, aimed at alleviating congestion at the Dartford Crossing. The 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.
With planning for the Lower Thames Crossing ongoing since 2009, more than £800 million in taxpayers’ money has been invested in the project’s development.