Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge Tolls
What the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges cost in 2026: Merseyflow tolls by class and plan, the monthly passes that cap high-frequency costs, the Halton resident scheme, and the PCN ladder for missed payments. Checked July 2026 against merseyflow.co.uk.
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How to use: the table below shows the current Merseyflow tolls for the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges by vehicle class and payment plan, in force since 1 April 2025 and checked July 2026. Use the mini calculator for a weekly pattern, and note the monthly passes: for high-frequency car and small van traffic they beat per-crossing pricing quickly.
Merseyflow tolls per crossing
| Class | Vehicle | Sticker account | Video account | Unregistered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Motorcycles and local buses | Free | Free | Free |
| Class 2 | Car, van under 3.5t (up to 8 seats) | £2.15 | £2.30 | £2.40 |
| Class 3 | Truck 3.5 to 12t, bus under 5t | £6.50 | £6.85 | £7.20 |
| Class 4 | Truck over 12t, bus over 5t | £8.65 | £9.10 | £9.60 |
One-way prices in force since 1 April 2025, unchanged as of July 2026; Halton Borough Council reviews tolls no more than every three years except in exceptional circumstances. Checked July 2026 against merseyflow.co.uk and the operator's published toll change notice.
What your Mersey crossings cost
Driving a Class 2 vehicle more than about 51 crossings a month? The £110 unlimited monthly pass works out cheaper than paying £2.15 per crossing on a sticker account. Model all five tolled crossings together with the UK toll calculator.
How the Mersey crossings are tolled
Two bridges cross the Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes: the six-lane Mersey Gateway, opened in 2017, and the restored Silver Jubilee Bridge alongside it. Both are tolled, both directions, 24 hours a day, under one scheme run by Merseyflow on behalf of Halton Borough Council. There are no booths; cameras and tag readers handle everything at speed, and you either hold an account or pay by 11.59pm the day after you cross. Prices and rules here were checked in July 2026 against merseyflow.co.uk.
The current tolls took effect on 1 April 2025, a 20% rise that was the first since the Gateway opened seven and a half years earlier, and the council's published position is that future changes will be considered no more than once every three years except in exceptional circumstances. That makes Merseyflow one of the more predictable cost lines in a North West rate card: the Class 4 HGV toll of £8.65 to £9.60 is what you should be costing through at least 2027 unless something exceptional intervenes.
Accounts, passes and local discounts
- Sticker account: £5 one-off fee for a windscreen tag, then the lowest toll per class, about 10% off unregistered prices. The natural choice for fleets; every plate registered, no deadlines.
- Video account: no sticker, plate-based, a middle rate between sticker and unregistered.
- Monthly passes (Class 2 only): £110 unlimited travel, or £75 off-peak (10am to 4pm and 7pm to 7am weekdays, all day weekends and public holidays). For car and small-van commuters and multi-drop rounds these cap the cost regardless of crossing count.
- Halton residents: £12 a year registration (£10 with auto-renewal) for unlimited personal crossings; Blue Badge holders can register for free crossings for a £5 one-off fee.
Penalties
Miss the 11.59pm next-day deadline and a Penalty Charge Notice follows at £50 plus the toll, reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days. Unpaid PCNs escalate to a £75 charge certificate and on into formal debt recovery. First-time unregistered users who get a PCN can have it cancelled by paying the discounted £25 rate to open an account, a one-off olive branch worth taking. Figures from the operator's published April 2025 scheme changes, checked July 2026.
HGV specifics
- Class 3 covers trucks from 3.5 to 12 tonnes: £6.50 sticker, £7.20 unregistered. A 7.5t rigid lives here.
- Class 4 covers everything over 12 tonnes: £8.65 sticker, £9.60 unregistered. An artic on a daily return pays £17.30 a day on sticker rates, roughly £4,152 across 48 five-day weeks.
- Both bridges are tolled, so there is no free local alternative across the river at Runcorn; the free crossings are the tunnels into Liverpool well downstream.
- The tolls are statutory charges with no VAT element. Cost them as a line item in the haulage cost calculator, alongside fuel from the diesel price tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Mersey Gateway toll in 2026?
Cars and vans under 3.5t pay £2.40 unregistered, £2.30 on a video account or £2.15 with a sticker account. Trucks pay £7.20 or £9.60 unregistered depending on weight. Motorcycles are free. These prices have applied since 1 April 2025, checked July 2026.
Do both Runcorn bridges charge?
Yes. The Mersey Gateway and the Silver Jubilee Bridge are tolled identically under the same Merseyflow scheme, both directions, around the clock.
How long do I have to pay?
Until 11.59pm the day after your crossing, online, by phone or through the Merseyflow app, unless you hold an account that pays automatically.
What is the fine for not paying?
A Penalty Charge Notice of £50 plus the toll, halved to £25 if paid within 14 days, rising via a £75 charge certificate into debt recovery if ignored. Each crossing generates its own PCN.
Is the Mersey Gateway free for Halton residents?
Effectively, for personal trips: residents of Halton borough can register for £12 a year (£10 with auto-renewal) for unlimited crossings in eligible vehicles. The scheme has a fair use policy of 900 crossings a year, beyond which business use may be queried.
When will Mersey tolls rise next?
The operator's published policy after the April 2025 change is to consider toll changes no more than once every three years except in exceptional circumstances, which points to 2028 for the next scheduled review. Checked July 2026.
Running the North West corridor?
Runcorn, Widnes, the Liverpool ports and the M56 belt run on rates where every fixed cost is named. Brief CTS on what you move and we place it with vetted UK operators who price tolls, fuel and time honestly. Free for shippers, no obligation.
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