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Fast Tag offers savings of nearly 30% from
1 April 2016
MERSEY Tunnel
users are encouraged to apply for a Fast Tag to take advantage of the further
toll reduction they will see from Friday, 1 April 2016.
Car drivers with a Fast Tag already benefit from a 30p reduction on the cash
toll and this will increase to a 50p discount, with them paying £1.20 a trip as
against the cash toll of £1.70. Proportionate discounts of nearly 30% will also
apply to Fast Tag users of all other vehicles.
Fast Tags are available to everyone, not just regular travellers, and are issued
free of charge. They offer 'stored value' meaning that customers'
money stays in their Fast Tag account until it is used, no matter how long that
is.
The cash tolls for all vehicles will remain frozen for 2016/17; a decision
agreed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) in February
following recommendations by a task group set up at the request of the CA to
review the tunnel tolls.
It was also approved that all liveried emergency services vehicles, not just
those on emergency call outs, can travel free through the Mersey tunnels, from 1
April, 2016 and furthermore there will now be free travel, on Christmas Day, for
all tunnel users.
Phil Davies, Leader of Wirral Council, said:- "We have made good on our
pledge to reduce Tunnel Tolls. Wirral residents who use the Fast Tag option for
commuting to work can save a fiver a week, and even casual tunnel users could
save a pound per round trip by switching to the Fast Tag option."
Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel, said:- "The savings from the
Fast Tag are too good not to take advantage of and they are available for
everyone. From April, a car driver making 2 trips each weekday through the
tunnel will now save £5 per week compared with paying the cash toll. Discounts
for Fast Tags apply to all vehicle classes, so drivers of class 4 heavy goods
vehicles such as articulated lorries will now be saving £2 each time they
travel. This is about doing what we can as a City Region to help regular and
local users."
► The Kingsway (Wallasey) and Queensway (Birkenhead) tunnels are part of the
Liverpool City Region's Strategic Highway Network, with approximately 25 million
vehicles travelling through them each year. They were built as a joint venture
by the local authorities and, as such, their upkeep and maintenance remains
outside of the National Highway Network and is not funded through Road Tax or
general taxation.
► Merseytravel is the Executive body that provides professional, strategic and
operational transport advice to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to
enable it to make informed decisions. It is also the delivery arm, making
transport happen.
► Merseytravel delivers transport projects that support the economic growth of
the Liverpool City Region. The focus is on improving connectivity within the
region and beyond, improving the customer experience from ticket buying to
journey planning and maintaining the integrated transport network, including:-
the Mersey Ferries and Mersey Tunnels, to ensure it is fit for the future,
accessible and safe. The aim is to make it world class.
► Merseytravel works in partnership with central, regional and local government,
the Local Enterprise Partnership, public transport operators, other Passenger
Transport Executives, the business community, community groups and members of
the public.
► Merseytravel owns and operates the famous Mersey Ferries and associated
tourism attractions; the U-Boat Story, Spaceport, the Mersey Tunnel Tour, and
the Beatles Story.
|
Toll
class |
2014 to 2015 |
2016 to 2017 |
2015/16 |
|
Cash |
Fast
Tag |
Fast
Tag saving |
Cash |
Fast
Tag |
Fast
Tag saving |
|
1 |
£1.70 |
£1.40 |
£0.30 |
£1.70 |
£1.20 |
£0.50 |
|
2 |
£3.40 |
£2.80 |
£0.60 |
£3.40 |
£2.40 |
£1.00 |
|
3 |
£5.10 |
£4.20 |
£0.90 |
£5.10 |
£3.60 |
£1.50 |
|
4 |
£6.80 |
£5.60 |
£1.20 |
£6.80 |
£4.80 |
£2.00 |
|
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