VEHICLES USING MERSEY GATEWAY BRIDGE ON OR AFTER 19 APRIL 2018
The 2018 Order provides a valid and legal power to charge and enforce charges (which are described here as “tolls”) on the Mersey Gateway Bridge from 19 April 2018.
All vehicles using the Mersey Gateway Bridge on or after the 19 April 2018 are required to pay a toll unless exempt or they benefit from the Halton Local User Discount Scheme (LUDS).
VEHICLES WHO USED MERSEY GATEWAY BRIDGE ON OR AFTER 14 OCTOBER 2017 UNTIL 18 APRIL 2018
The Council had in place a valid and legal power to charge and enforce tolls on the Mersey Gateway Bridge from 14 October 2017 to 18 April 2018.
All vehicles that used the Mersey Gateway Bridge on or after the 14 October 2017 were required to pay a toll and liable to enforcement of a toll if no toll was paid, unless exempt or they benefitted from the Halton Local User Discount Scheme (LUDS).
ADJUDICATORS DECISIONS
Adjudication by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) cannot and does not, in law, invalidate or remove the powers in place from the 14 October 2017 to toll and enforce tolls on the Mersey Gateway Bridge.
Adjudication is specific to the case being considered, and any decision of an Adjudicator only relates to that particular case.
A decision of TPT does not have general effect and can not remove the validity of the Order or the obligation to pay.
Any suggestion that the Council has no power to charge or enforce tolls or that the Council is acting “illegally” is misleading, inaccurate and wrong in law.
REPAYMENT OF TOLLS OR PENALTIES
For the reasons set out above, Halton Council is under no legal obligation to repay any toll or penalty paid on failing to pay a toll.
Consequently, Halton Council will not be repaying any toll or penalty paid on failing to pay a toll.