Merseytravel plans Mersey Tunnels Tolls rise by 10p to £1.80

Travel organisation says 'fast tag' cost will be frozen for commuters

Merseytravel is set to increase tunnel tolls by 10p - bringing the cost per trip for a car user to £1.80, according to ECHO sources.

The move, which is to be put to a meeting of the Merseytravel committee when it meets next week, would be the third consecutive increase in as many years.

The proposal is for a rise in the cash toll, but a freeze on the price of the “Fast Tag” which is £1.40.

In December the ECHO revealed that a report by finance chiefs at Merseytravel said "improving economic growth is such that a further increase in cash toll is justified."

At the time Merseytravel said it was too early to speculate.

Last February, Merseytravel pushed the price for car drivers using the Mersey tunnels up by 10p to £1.70, which took effect from April 1.

Under the 2004 Tunnels Act, the tolls should automatically rise in line with inflation, but there is the option a lesser rise or freeze of the tolls based on “economic or social” pressures.

Since April, the tunnels have become assets of the newly created Liverpool City Region Combined Authority – which will have the final say on tolls – although the tunnels are still operated on a day to day basis by Merseytravel.

The Kingsway (Wallasey) and Queensway (Birkenhead) tunnels have approximately 25 million vehicles travelling through them each year.

Story and Photo Source: Liverpool Echo