Over the past two years, drivers have forfeited more than £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments, most of which has been retained by the Government, according to a recent Freedom of Information request.
The data revealed that in the fiscal year 2023/24, there were £1,812,379 in unclaimed Dart Charge payments, 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 requester of the FOI, that the majority of these expired payments are not reimbursed and are therefore collected by the Government.
Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 per crossing, are valid for 12 months before expiration and are used by motorists traveling across the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent.
Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month timeframe. Dormant Dart Charge account balances are refunded to the account holder using the original payment information.
The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicles passing through daily.
A DfT spokesperson stated that all Dart Charge revenue is directed to the DfT and is allocated to transportation initiatives that benefit communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing project.
The Mirror has contacted the DfT for further input. AA president Edmund King noted the historical agreement regarding Dartford crossing tolls and the subsequent government decision to maintain charges for traffic management and revenue purposes.
The Transport Act 2000 established charging schemes for major road infrastructure, enabling the Highways Agency to continue collecting tolls on crossings exceeding 600 meters.
In September 2025, the Government raised the Dart Charge fees, marking the first increase since 2014. This adjustment coincides with the approval for the Lower Thames Crossing, aimed at alleviating congestion at the Dartford Crossing.
The upcoming 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, slated to be the UK’s longest road tunnel.
Planning for the project, ongoing since 2009, has consumed over £800 million in taxpayer funds.