Complaints upheld over misleading toll tweets
ACOMPLAINT over misleading tweets that implied that unregistered drivers would be fined for crossing the Mersey Gateway has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The ASA’s ruling, published on its website, said there had been five complaints about the issue but that it was informally resolved.
It added that the grievances had been directed at tolls operator Emovis Operations Mersey Ltd.
The complaints were classed in the internet (own site), social media, internet display, ‘other’ and regional press categories
Merseylink bridge consortium had previously apologised over the matter after a motorist alleged the tweets about the tolls registration system were misleading and ‘threatening’.
It added that improvements had been made.
The @merseyflow Twitter feed had published several tweets that said: “If you live in Halton and forget to sign up with #merseyflow you could be fined merseyflow.co.uk #Runcorn #Widnes.”
Merseylink was accused by a Halton resident of misleading the public as it is possible to pay to cross the bridge without registering.
Merseylink said drivers with unregistered vehicles can pay online at www. merseyflow.co.uk, by phone on 01928 878 878, at Merseyflow’s walk-in centre at Howard Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1SJ, between 8am and 8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-6pm Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays, or at Payzone outlets.
The issue is among a slew of angry complaints directed at the tolls system since the bridge opened.
In a statement issued at the time of the initial ASA grievance, a Merseylink spokesman said: “We’ve been working hard to try and make sure that as many Halton residents as possible sign up for the local user discount schemes that Halton Borough Council has been able to fund for local residents. “We’ve very keen to ensure that Halton residents know they can only get this discount by registering with Merseyflow and are very conscious that if Halton residents don’t register for unlimited crossings for just £10 a year or pay for each time they use the bridge that they could potentially get a penalty charge notice.
“We’re really sorry if, in doing that, we made anyone worry that they were doing the wrong thing or going to get fined.
“We note the ASA’s position and have already taken steps to ● change the ads in question.” . ●