£10 fee to avoid driving charges on two bridges
HALTON residents will have to register this summer and pay an annual £10 administration fee in order to avoid charges for driving on the borough’s two bridges.
An information campaign has been launched to show how the tolling system for the new Mersey Gateway Bridge will work.
It includes the unveiling of the Merseyflow brand and a new website to guide people through the process.
Both the new crossing and the Silver Jubilee Bridge will be tolled from the autumn 2017 and there will be no booths.
Instead Merseyflow will use automatic number plate reading technology and registered users will receive a special sticker to attach to the windscreen of their registered vehicle to enable the system to identify users as they cross.
It means that everyone who crosses the Mersey in Halton will need to register through the website, regardless of where they live.
Runcornians and Widnesians will have to pay a £10 annual administration fee for free travel on both bridges.
Blue badge holders meanwhile will be charged a one-off £5 registration fee
Halton Borough Council chief executive David Parr said: “We’ve worked closely with the tolling team to set up the Merseyflow system and make sure that people have plenty of time to work out the best approach for them before registration opens at merseyflow.co.uk later this year.
“This is just the start of sharing information on how to register with Merseyflow, so our message to anyone who isn’t sure how this will all work, is don’t worry.
“The best thing to do is look at the information at merseyflow.co.uk and they will see what the best option is for them.”
When registration opens in the summer there will also be a walk-in centre in the borough and a team available by phone to answer queries.
Regular users of the bridge, wherever they live, will have access to other discount options but must register to access savings.
Businesses meanwhile in the borough – including van, lorry, coach and taxi drivers – can either register on the site for a pre-pay account offering a 10% discount on each trip or buy a monthly pass.
Merseyflow’s managing director Anthony Alicastro said: “For the vast majority of people, registering with Merseyflow will be the best way to get the best discount on the tolls.
“After they have registered with Merseyflow and paid a small annual administration fee, the vast majority of Halton residents will be eligible for free travel across both the Mersey Gateway Bridge and Silver Jubilee Bridge. People living outside of Halton who drive a small car or a van will have two options to reduce the cost of the toll; registering for a pre-pay Merseyflow account, which will save up to 10% on the cost of each trip, or registering for a monthly pass, which will cap the cost of travel.”
Leading business figures in the borough have backed the project’s impact on the region’s economy.
Richard Butcher, an executive director with Stobart Group, said: “As a business Stobart Group has invested heavily in developing our presence in Halton over recent years and the Mersey Gateway Project has been a major factor behind that decision.
“Stobart Group now employs 146 people at our base in Widnes and we’ve always been clear that the benefits that the new bridge will bring in terms of quicker, easier and more reliable journeys will be a positive boost for the economy in the region.
“We’re looking forward to the new bridge opening later this year and it’s good to see the details of the tolling arrangements being shared at this early stage.”
Construction work on the Mersey Gateway Bridge and connecting roads will continue until the autumn.
Once the new bridge opens, the Silver Jubilee Bridge will close for around 12 months for repairs and improvements to further improve journeys. Halton Chamber Of Com- ● merce chief executive Paula Cain said: “The Mersey Gateway project and forthcoming refurbishment of the Silver Jubilee Bridge have helped put Halton on the map.
“The project sends out a clear signal that we’re growing as a successful area in which to invest, and develop your business.
“It’s important business owners review the tolling options available to them to find out what works best.
“Halton Chamber Of Commerce is working closely with its members to help them prepare for the introduction of tolls when the bridge opens this autumn.”
Carol Thomas, finance director at SOG Group – the owner and operator of The Heath Business And Technical Park in Runcorn – said: “We’ve seen a lot of interest in businesses coming into The Heath from outside of the local area in recent times and the new bridge and the wider investment associated with it is playing a major part in that.
“As a local business we know that tolls are part of the package but the new bridge will make getting to and moving around Halton a lot easier.” . ● ●