BRIDGE BAILIFFS BACK IN OPERATION AFTER COVID-19:
BAILIFFS are to resume home visits over unpaid Mersey Gateway fees and fines.
Tolls operator Merseyflow announced last Thursday, August 20, that debt enforcers from Marston Holdings would be back on the doorstep from Monday, August 24.
Visits were suspended in March because of the pandemic.
A Merseyflow spokeswoman said efforts to recoup unpaid tolls would be conducted in a ‘safe and sensitive way’.
She said the use of an enforcement agent is ‘always a last resort’ over unpaid penalty charge notices (PCN), and will have followed multiple stages at which a driver has the chance to pay including five notices in addition to the opportunity to pay the initial £2 toll.
These are the original PCN of £22 within 14 days, a charge certificate of £62 per PCN, a notice of debt registration at £70 per PCN, an enforcement notice of £145 per PCN, and an enforcement notice reminder at £145 per PCN.
Merseyflow said Marston Holdings has written to all customers who have an outstanding debt urging them to contact them directly to discuss their debt so visits can be avoided wherever possible.
The spokeswoman said Marston’s agents will not enter people’s homes to seize goods, and will be equipped with appropriate workwear and hygiene supplies.
Road charges – or ‘tolls’ as they are colloquially known – will also apply on the Silver Jubilee Bridge when it reopens to vehicles at some point during what Halton Borough Council said will be this autumn.
A Mersey Gateway Crossings Board spokeswoman said: “We understand that the coronavirus pandemic has impacted everyone in different ways.
“If you have an unpaid PCN that has been passed to Marston Holdings, that you cannot pay, we would encourage you to contact the team at Marston directly.
She added: “Marston’s customer service team can then talk to you about your options, and how to prevent an enforcement agent from visiting in future.
“They have a highly trained team with lots of experience in helping customers and will be able to work with people who owe money to help them pay.”
Neil Conway, Merseyflow chief executive, said: “As always, our message to anyone who gets a PCN is please don’t ignore it.
“You should take action as soon as possible because if the debt is passed on to an enforcement agent, then it will increase significantly.
He added: “The best way to avoid getting a PCN is to register with Merseyflow.
“If you cross the Mersey Gateway Bridge regularly, you can register for an account on our website and select to ‘auto-pay’ for your crossings, saving 10% on every crossing you make.
“If you only cross the bridge occasionally, you can download our Quick Pay App and create a profile, this allows you to save your payment and car details, as well as select ‘auto-pay’. Setting up auto-pay means you’ll never get a PCN again as long as you have the funds available to pay.”