Drivers have lost over £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments over the past two years, with the majority of these funds being retained by the Government. According to a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request, there were £1,812,379 of 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 source of the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government keeps the “vast majority” of these expired payments without issuing refunds. Dart Charge payments, amounting to £3.50 each way, are utilized by drivers crossing the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent and remain valid for 12 months before expiring.
Drivers have the option to request refunds for unused Dart Charges within the 12-month expiration period. In cases where Dart Charge accounts become inactive, any remaining funds are reimbursed to the account holder using the original payment details.
The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicles passing through daily. The DfT spokesperson stated that all Dart Charge revenue is received by the DfT and is utilized for transportation projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing.
The Government recently raised the Dart Charge in September 2025, the first increase since 2014. This decision aligns with the approval for the Lower Thames Crossing project, 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.
Since 2009, work on the Lower Thames Crossing project has been ongoing, with over £800 million of taxpayer money spent on planning. The Transport Act 2000 introduced charging schemes for large road infrastructure, allowing the continued imposition of crossing fees by the Highways Agency for structures over 600 meters long.