Two million foreign drivers dodge Dartford Crossing Charge since toll booths were removed — owing £200m
One in five non-UK drivers have not paid the toll and the cases have been passed to the European Debt Recovery Agent to try and track them down
NEARLY two million foreign drivers have dodged the Dartford Crossing Charge since toll booths were removed - racking up £200million in penalty charges owed.
One in five non-UK drivers have not paid the £2.50 car toll or £6 truck toll since 2014 which carries a £108 fine.
The 1.8million cases have been passed to the European Debt Recovery Agent to try and track down the fare dodgers.
But Highways England declined to tell The Sun how much has been recovered as the figure “could have the potential to encourage drivers of non-UK vehicles to purposely avoid payment”.
Celebrity motoring lawyer Nick Freeman, dubbed Mr Loophole, has previously blasted Highways England for not releasing the number of fines paid by foreign motorists.
He said: “It means it’s complete nonsense and they’ve recovered nothing.”
The revelation sparks fears hundreds of millions has been lost since the introduction of the free-flow electronic charging system.
Highways England said nearly eighty per cent of foreign truckers pay the Dart Charge compared with 95per cent of UK lorries.
The crossing over the Thames between Kent and Essex is the busiest stretch of road in the UK and in 2017 it earned Highways England £207.4million – forty five per cent of that in fines.
But difficulty in tracking down foreign drivers suggests Brit drivers are being forced to pay the lion’s share of the penalty charges.
The Freight Transport Association has warned: “It is quite difficult to follow up on non-UK registered vehicles in comparison to those that are registered in the UK with the DVLA.
“There are ways that it can be done and there are enforcement agencies across Europe that can be used.
“We think that more efforts need to be made to make sure that those that do use the crossing actually pay.”
Mr Freeman has blasted the UK for being “soft” on foreign drivers.
He said: “The point is there are millions and millions of foreign drivers who come over to this country and they pay nothing to use our roads. We go abroad, we have to pay.”
Highways England said: “The vast majority of both British and foreign drivers are paying their Dart Charge correctly and on time.
“We follow up non-payment fairly and appropriately, using all legal means, both at home and abroad.”