Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to decide on 2023/24 charges for Mersey Tunnels and Mersey Ferries this week. Tony McDonough reports
Charges for drivers using the Mersey Tunnels and passengers on the Mersey Ferries for 2023/24 will be decided this week.
On Friday, December 16, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, will consider proposals that will see the toll for a single journey through either the Kingsway or Queensway tunnels from April 2023 frozen at £2.
It is also proposed that the singer journey charge for Liverpool city region residents with T-Flow accounts will rise 20p to £1.40. The T-Flow toll for non-residents would be increased to £2. The CA says 45% of regular tunnel users now have either T-Flow or Fast Tag accounts.
Mersey Ferries commuter passengers’ fares will remain frozen at £2.90 for a single and £3.80 for a return journey. It is hoped will encourage more people to use them.
Thanks to a £12m scheme introduced by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram in the autumn, fares for supported bus services will remain capped at £2 for adults. Young people’s fares on the same routes will be capped at £1.
The cost of a MyTicket has also been frozen at £2.20, giving the region’s young people unlimited, all-day travel.
Mr Rotheram says that, under theTunnels Act 2004, the tolls are allowed to rise in line with inflation. This would take a car cash toll to £2.50 for 2023/24. However, he is keen to keep charges as low as possible amid the cost-of-living crisis.
“At a time when all other living costs are going up, I want to ensure that we are making it as fair and affordable as possible for our residents to travel,” he said.
“Just like many households in our area, local authorities are experiencing the same pressures of rising energy costs which are making our public buildings and critical infrastructure more and more expensive to maintain.
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“The Mersey Tunnels demand a huge amount of electricity to keep them running and require year-round maintenance – yet we receive no central government support. Instead, it is left to the Combined Authority to source the funds to keep our tunnels running safely and efficiently.
“The decision to increase prices is never one we take lightly, especially in the current landscape. We have worked as hard as we can to keep as many charges across our travel network as low as possible.”