ONE in four foreign drivers haven't paid the Dartford Crossing charge since November.

A freedom of information request to the Highway Agency showed that between November and March 227,805 foreign vehicles had failed to pay since the new plate recognition payment system was introduced.

Highway bosses have said it’s not true that foreign drivers are getting off “scot free”.

Nigel Gray, Dart Charge project director said: "What these figures show is that the vast majority of drivers are paying their Dart Charge, and that non-payment is being followed up appropriately.

“We understand that Dart Charge is a significant change, and we are working hard to strike the right balance between being absolutely clear that drivers need to pay the charge while giving people the maximum opportunity to avoid a penalty.

“It is simply not true that foreign drivers are getting off scot free. We have enforcement arrangements across Europe, and have already passed nearly 60,000 cases to our European Debt recovery agent for collection."

Seventy four percent – 636,633 - of foreign drivers did pay the charge in that time.

In March Highway bosses had to call in a European debt recovery agency to chase nearly 19,000 overseas drivers who failed to pay during the first month of the crossing’s new payment scheme.

Last month the AA raised concerns that some drivers were being charged twice the £2.50 charge for crossings following errors in the payment system.