THE toll for the cross-river bridges between Widnes and Runcorn have been set at £2 per journey for cars and small vans – with Halton Council saying that is what the Mersey Tunnel tolls will be in 2017.
That is the year the new Mersey Gateway bridge opens to the public, heralding tolls there and on the currently-free Silver Jubilee Bridge.
The slightly silver lining for local motorists in Widnes and Runcorn is they will each have 300 free crossings a year – working out at 25 per month.
It seems pleas by politicians for a toll-free bridge have fallen on deaf ears in Government.
So it’s £2 per person, per trip, to cross the new Mersey Gateway, though Halton Council revealed today all car owners living in Halton will receive up to 300 free journeys per year when the Gateway and the current Silver Jubilee Bridge become tolled in 2017.
The new crossing
The toll scheme was approved last night by Halton Borough Council.
There will be no toll booths – both bridges will use an “open road tolling system” where smart technology will be used to keep traffic flowing along the route, capture vehicle details and ensure that all bridge users pay.
So let’s do the maths first – what is it going to cost to cross the Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn?
The one-way toll for cars and light vans will be £2, though this can be reduced by 5 percent or 10 percent with discount schemes.
HGVs and coaches will pay £6 per trip or £8 depending on the size of the vehicle. Discounts will also apply to those vehicles.
The old crossing
The local user discount scheme will give eligible Halton residents 25 free one-way trips a month – up to 300 trips a year – across the two bridges. It will cost £10 to register for this scheme. Once your 25 journeys have been clocked you will have to pay until the start of the next month when there will be another 25 free crossings. If you make fewer than 25 crossings the unused passes can be rolled over to the next month, but not beyond the end of the year.
Halton Borough Council expects 99 percent of local people to be eligible to participate in this local user discount scheme, which is open to residents living in houses with a Council Tax Band of A,B,C,D,E or F. Those living in the bigger posh houses will have to pay. To qualify you have to be on the voters list and have your vehicle registered at an address in Halton.
Blue badges holders and motor cyclists won’t have to pay. There will also be a free bus service linking Widnes and Runcorn town centres.
Users can also buy a pass for £90 a month, allowing as many journeys as you like at any time. For £60 a month you can buy an off-peak pass, useable 10am till 4pm, then from 7pm till 7amMondays to Fridays, and any time travel at weekends and bank holidays.
So why hasn’t Halton won the battle for free bridge crossings?
Discount
Cllr Rob Polhill, Leader of Halton Council said: “We have lobbied hard for no tolls on the new bridge and on the Silver Jubilee Bridge, but Government are clear – no tolls, no bridge – we all know a new bridge is desperately needed. We must now all accept, however painful, that tolls on Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge are a given and get on with the building phase without further delay and uncertainty.
“However, as we committed from the outset, we have spent many months looking for the best local user discount scheme we can get for Halton residents.
“We will continue to press the Government to maximise the re-investment of any extra toll income to ensure that Halton residents get the best deal possible.”
