Mersey Tunnel: large toll increases likely
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• Mersey Tunnel tolls for some commercial vehicles will rise by nearly 300 per cent if proposals of the Mersey Tunnel joint committee are approved by the Government. The new toll structure, which the committee approved, is as follows: motorcycles and three-wheelers, unchanged at 5p; vehicles under 2 tons, including cars, tolls increase from 10p to 15p; vehicles between 2 and 5 tons, 40p; and vehicles over 5 tons 50p. At present the single category of vehicles over 2 tons is charged 174p.
The rises follow the refusal of the Government to give a grant towards the cost of the second Mersey Tunnel, expected to open on June 27.
The joint committee does not have the authority to run the tunnel at a loss and without the higher tolls there would be a loss on the tunnel of £1,261,000 next year rising to £2,364,000 by 1976.