Driver refused toll pass as vehicle is in wife’s name
AWIDNES father has slammed the Mersey Gateway tolls system after he was refused a resident’s pass because his car’s registration certificate is in his wife’s name.
Andrew James, 56, of Bradshaw Street, said that having spoken to others including his ward councillor and Halton Borough Council leader Cllr Rob Polhill, he believes he is among hundreds of drivers who have been turned down for free crossings because of the issue.
The dad-of-two said this means he is now forking out £20 a week in tolls to go to work, at Vauxhall in Ellesmere Port.
With Christmas approaching, he said he may now have to switch jobs and work at Royal Mail in Warrington through to the New Year to avoid being stung by the tolls.
He said he already pays £30 a week in petrol to go to work so together with the charges to cross the bridge he ‘has already paid £50 before I even start’.
Attempts to resolve the issue with tolls operator Merseyflow have left him feeling like he is hitting his ‘head against a brick wall’, as he was advised that an association or organisation could validate the V5 on his behalf but not an individual, such as a family member.
Mr James said his wife had secured the finance on the car purchase because at the time she was working full-time and he only had part-time employment at that point.
This means that her name is on the V5 certificate of ownership, which is one of three documents needed to be eligible for a pass, the others being a driver’s licence and a council tax bill, both of which are in Mr James’s name.
Although he needs the vehicle to work so together they can support their family, his wife does not drive and does not even have a licence.
He added that he can prove he is the car’s sole user with the relevant documentation.
Mr James said he was first refused a pass before the bridge opened and he has now been grappling with it since.
He said: “To be honest I’m banging my head against a brick wall.
“When I applied for my resident’s pass, they explained the criteria – the person needs to produce a driving licence in their name, a V5 log book and a current council tax bill.
“Of those three, the only one that doesn’t bear my name is the V5.
“Because her name is on the ● finance they said ‘until your name is on the V5 you can’t have a pass’.
“I spoke to my local councillors and June Roberts told me the council were aware of this problem.” “It was flagged up to them. “Merseyflow, fair play to them, their staff explained they’ve got hun- dreds of emails and complaints from residents in the same situation.”
Merseylink bridge consortium was approached for comment.