Drivers have forfeited over £3.6 million in unused Dart Charge payments over the past two years, with the majority of these funds retained by the Government. 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 issuer of the FOI request to National Highways, that the Government retains the “vast majority” of expired payments without issuing refunds. Dart Charge payments, priced at £3.50 each way, are utilized by drivers to cross the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent, remaining valid for 12 months before expiration.

Drivers have the option to request refunds for Dart Charges within the 12-month expiry 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, a route 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 Dart Charge was increased by the Government in September 2025, marking the first fee adjustment since 2014. The Government’s approval for the Lower Thames Crossing aims to alleviate congestion at the Dartford Crossing by connecting 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. Construction on this project, which commenced in 2009, has already utilized over £800 million in taxpayer funds for planning purposes.