Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that foreign-registered vehicles pay the charge for the Dartford River Crossing.

An automatic number plate recognition system is in use, which is capable of capturing non-UK vehicle registration marks. Where there is any doubt about the nationality of the plate, images will be manually reviewed by trained staff. The new Dartford Charging Scheme Order enables the Agency to enforce the Dartford road user charge through penalty charges and recovery processes. A European debt recovery agency with access to a variety of foreign vehicle databases will be used to pursue and recover outstanding charges from vehicles that evade paying the Crossing charge.