Delivering on a pledge made during his election campaign, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has recommended that the cost of Mersey Tunnel tolls for Liverpool City Region residents is cut to £1.
The reduced toll – which could save tunnel users more than £400 a year* – would be available to everyone in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral who registers for a personal use Mersey Tunnels Fast Tag.
Under the mayor’s proposals submitted to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, the cash toll for cars will be frozen at £1.80, still 20p less per journey than the rise authorised by the Tunnels Act. The tolls for all other vehicles – including large vans, coaches and HGVs – will also be held at 2018 rates.
If approved**, the proposed discount for city region residents would come into effect from April.
Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “I’m pleased today to be able to submit a proposal for a new £1 Fast Tag toll, delivering on the commitment I made during my election.
“If approved, this will be the lowest tunnel toll in over 25 years, with the rate available to the people of the Liverpool City Region 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
“Nobody likes to have to pay to use the tunnels, but they are a critical element of the city region’s infrastructure and we do not receive any central government funding to effectively operate, maintain and upgrade them.
“During the 2015 general election the then Chancellor promised that we would receive national funding for the tunnels but this has not been forthcoming.
“Until this happens I will continue to work to keep the tolls as low as possible, especially for city region residents.”
For tunnel users living outside the Liverpool City Region the Fast Tag price will rise to £1.80. This still represents a discount on the authorised toll allowed under the Tunnels Act. Fast Tag users will also continue to benefit from the convenience of dedicated lanes and online top-up and account management.
