Liverpool City Region Combined Authority set to raise Mersey Tunnels tolls in 2025 but says it will freeze the cost of the all-day bus ticket for under-19s for the eighth year running. Tony McDonough reports
Motorists using the Mersey Tunnels will pay slightly more from April 2025 although Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram insists tolls are still well below where they could be.
At its next meeting on Friday, December 20, members of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will consider a range of proposed transport fees and charges including Mersey Tunnel tolls.
Under the proposals to be considered local Mersey Tunnels users will continue to pay the lowest tolls. And the cost of the young person’s MyTicket, which allows all-day unlimited bus travel for under-19s, will remain frozen for the eighth year running.
A discounted Mersey Tunnel journey for Liverpool city region residents with a T Flow account will rise by 10p to £1.50. Mr Rotheram says this means a majority of tunnel users will be paying 30p less than when the Mayor was first elected in 2017.
This change will mean city region residents – who account for 51% of journeys – would still pay nearly half the maximum amount authorised under the Tunnels Act (£2.80), and the same toll as in 2007.
“With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on families across our region, I want to make sure we’re doing what we can to make travel as accessible, fair, and affordable for everyone,” said the Mayor.
“As well as freezing the young person’s MyTicket and maintaining the £2 bus fares cap, we’re continuing to ensure that city region residents pay the lowest prices to travel around our area – whether by bus, train or car.
“Thousands upon thousands of residents will benefit from these proposals and we are committed to keep prices affordable, while continuing to improve our public transport system.”
The expected authorised rate for class one vehicles, as prescribed by the Tunnels Act, is £2.80 for 2025/26, and under the legislation tunnel tolls are allowed to rise in line with inflation.
However, the Combined Authority can consider economic and social factors when setting tolls – and has consistently used its power to keep tolls as low as possible for all users, and more recently particularly for Liverpool city region residents.
Maintenance and electricity costs for both tunnels have increased significantly in recent years and they are now more expensive than ever to maintain – electricity costs alone are more than £2m a year.
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This week it was announced that an £11m project to install LED lighting in the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel was now complete. The lights were switched on at a special ceremony.
There are now 1,058 new LED lights, 230 new electricity distribution boards and more than 100,000 metres of power cabling all of which will cut the tunnel’s carbon output by 60% each year.