A survey has revealed the highest-earning toll roads in the country, with the Dartford Crossing topping the list by generating over £200m per year. Moneybarn Car Finance analysed total toll revenues and the cost of a full price toll on a weekday to determine which roads make the most money and which are the most expensive to use.

The M25 Dartford Crossing pulls in around £209m – an increase from £202m the previous year. Approximately £90 million of this comes from drivers paying via accounts. The bridge, inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, had its physical toll booths removed in 2014, requiring drivers to pay online. Moneybarn noted: “Interestingly, a large bulk of the bridge’s income, £73 million, comes from ‘enforcement’, meaning fines for those who have failed to pay.”

Initially, drivers were assured that the tolls would cease after 20 years, once the construction costs had been recouped. However, they were subsequently maintained, a decision that infuriated drivers, says Wales Online.

Moneybarn revealed that the M6 Toll road generates the second-highest revenue, at £53.7 million per year. The company stated: “While it can be avoided by taking other routes, it’s clear that many are happy to pay the price for convenience, with the road netting its owners Midland Expressway Ltd over half a million pounds in 2020.”