Halton Borough Council has today (Thursday 24 October) approved plans to consult on an increase in toll charges on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridges from April 2025.

Whilst approving the overall consultation around toll charges, Halton Council’s Executive Board has also decided that there will be no changes to the Blue Badge holder scheme.

The consultation will start in November 2024 and will last for six weeks.

The recommended increase would:

  • be the first in seven and a half years since the Mersey Gateway Bridge opened
  • raise the unregistered toll charge for all vehicle categories by around 20%
  • increase the toll charge for unregistered cars from £2 to £2.40
  • mean toll charges have increased by less than the cumulative RPI inflation rate since the bridge opened – which has already reached 40%.

 

Proposed unregistered toll charges from April 2025
Vehicle Type
Class 1

 

Motorbikes

Local buses

 Class 2

 

Cars, small vans/ minibuses up to 8 seats

 

 Class 3

 

Larger vans and small lorries

 Class 4

 

HGVs and buses / coaches
Current toll charge April 2025 Current
toll charge		 April 2025 Current
toll charge		 April 2025 Current
toll charge		 April 2025
Free Free £2.00 £2.40 £6.00 £7.20 £8.00 £9.60

 

In order to fund the project over its lifetime, it was always expected that toll charges would need to increase annually in line with inflation, but Halton Borough Council has been able to defer annual increases to minimise costs to motorists.

The MGCB’s recommendations set out a forward-looking plan where, if toll charges are increased by around 20% next April, then, barring unforeseen circumstances, they will remain at that level for three years. This would mean that by April 2028, toll charges would have increased just once in the first 11 years of the project.

Customers registered with toll operator merseyflow would continue to get discounted crossings where they are eligible as set out below:

  • Registered pre-pay customers and monthly pass holders – specific discounted prices have not yet been finalised, but it is anticipated they would also increase by around 20%. This would mean a toll charge of £2.16 for sticker registered Class 2 vehicles compared to £2.40 for unregistered Class 2 vehicles.
  • Local User Discount Scheme plan holders – the cost of a LUDS plan would increase by £2. However, there is a proposal for a discount to £10 for those eligible Halton residents who renew via auto renewal.
  • Penalty Charge Notices – it is proposed that PCNs would increase from £40 to £50 in line with the toll charge increase.