Drivers caught out by 'no change' rule with 'no warning' at Mersey tunnels

Drivers are being "caught out" as they travel from Liverpool to Wirral due to a "no change given" rule.

Tolls at the end of the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels typically cost £2 for most cars and light good vehicles, £4 for most cars with trailers and heavy goods vehicles, £6 for heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes with three axles and cars with more than nine passengers, and £8 for heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes with four or more axles.

But drivers who want to pay with cash may find themselves facing a much more expensive journey, as toll booth staff no longer provide change for notes. This means that a single £2 journey could end up costing a driver £20 or more.

The policy was introduced by Merseytravel as a safety measure following the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020. But some unwitting drivers say they had no idea the policy remained in place after other restrictions were removed.

Driver Darren McGree, 52, from Irby Hill, said: "If you get to the tunnel with a note, they will not give change out. It started during Covid-19 I believe, but they have continued to do it. But when you approach the tunnel, it gives no warning. They only warning is when you come out of the tunnel. But at that point you have already used the tunnel, and so you have to pay. If you all you have is a £5, a £10, or a £20, they still won't give change out.

"What it makes me think is how many people aren't getting change, and is it right for them to do so? I don't travel often, but when I have used other tunnels you have a fair warning, no change given. If there was a warning on the Liverpool side, you would have the chance to stop and get change.

"If you went into a restaurant, had a meal and the restaurant refused to give you change for a note, they wouldn't get away with it, so why should they?"

A Liverpool City Region Combined Authority spokesperson said: “The decision to not provide change to Mersey Tunnels customers was taken at the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic to minimise physical contact. We believe this remains the right thing to do and work to communicate this across our website, social media and around our toll plaza.

“In each of our toll lanes there is a help button which can be used to alert staff to any issues around payment and we would encourage customers to make use of this facility should it be needed.

“Cash accounts for only around 15% of all toll payments with the rest being made by contactless or other card payments as well as electronically via our T-flow service, which we would encourage customers to use as the quickest and most convenient method of making payment at the Mersey Tunnels with Liverpool City Region residents being eligible for a special £1.40 discounted per trip rate.”

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