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 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) confirmed that the “vast majority” of these lapsed payments are not refunded and are hence kept by the government. 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 expiration.
Drivers can request a refund for Dart Charges within the 12-month expiration window. For drivers with dormant Dart Charge accounts, any remaining funds are reimbursed to the account holder using the original payment method. The Dartford Crossing sees up to 180,000 vehicles passing through daily.
The DfT stated that all Dart Charge revenue is received by the DfT and is allocated to transport projects benefiting communities in Essex and Kent, such as the Lower Thames Crossing. The government had previously agreed that tolls at the Dartford Crossing would cease once construction costs were covered, a milestone achieved in 2003. However, this decision was reversed by the government, and charges were retained for traffic management and revenue purposes.
The Dart Charge was raised in September 2025, marking the first increase since 2014. This adjustment coincides with the approval of the Lower Thames Crossing by the government, 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 via a 2.6-mile tunnel beneath the Thames, making it 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 allocated to planning.