Mersey flow bridge payments

[tommytaylor]

This is a rant more than a query but what a ste system, you cross the bridge which doesn't have any barriers or toll booths or anything, just enormous signs telling you to "pay online" before midnight the next day. Doesn't even give you a web address or anything. Obviously you cant say you didn't see the signs as they are massive and when you do see them you have every intention of paying the charge when you get in, but...

Yes there will be ones who say just remember to pay it or pull over and pay immediately before or after, or set an alarm reminder up etc. But no matter how smart you think you are, this bridge will get you sooner or later. I've come to the conclusion that its just not possible to remember to pay every time you cross it, especially if you use it irregularly like we do, might be once a week or three times a week and then not use it for six months, its just impossible to keep on top of.

I'm sure they studied the various scenarios long and hard before they came up with the one that would generate the most income for them, the fines must be astronomical. With a million and one things going on in your head its simply not possible to remember stuff so inconsequential like this, people that want to charge for stuff should be forced to install barriers or something similar.

As a consequence (2nd time we've been done) we have now decided to go the long way round and never use it again.

[soad]

Isn’t there an app for it?

Terrible Google reviews all the same.

[tommytaylor]

soad said:

Isn’t there an app for it?

Terrible Google reviews all the same.

I think you can pay on your phone, whether that's an app or not I don't know, the reviews talk of £25 to get it up and running or something. A good idea would be for an app to automatically make a payment when the GPS detects you are driving over it.

Like I said, its not deceptive as in the signs are hidden behind a bush or anything, its just that its just a bit of an unremarkable road journey that you have virtually no chance of remembering about once you get home, the missus will be on one, kids screaming, the same old ste in life makes this an impossible situation.

[Register1]

Just register your car and put £10 on account.
Every Time you go over it, it subtracts the fee.
When you get down to £5.00 it automatically pulls another £10 off your car, into the flow account
Simples.

[tommytaylor]

Register1 said:

Just register your car and put £10 on account.
Every Time you go over it, it subtracts the fee.
When you get down to £5.00 it automatically pulls another £10 off your car, into the flow account
Simples.

I cant really find that on the web site, the closest I can see on the account is

£5 registration fee per vehicle
£20 initial account balance to pay for your crossings

https://www.merseyflow.co.uk/non-halton-resident

I'm not about to give them money (£5) so I can have the privilege of giving them even more money. got to be worth going the long way round just to not have to deal with these chancers, I think its only about 20 minutes longer anyway.

Edit, actually it depends on where you are coming from, if its Cheshire, say Lymm or somewhere there isn't any difference time wise at all.

Edited by tommytaylor on Monday 24th July 18:01

[surveyor]

If you use a smart phone set a reminder. Hey siri remind me at 9pm to pay the toll…

[Geffg]

I have the app, no set up fee etc. I can put money on and it takes the £2 off when I travel over it. Or if no money on it, it tells me I need to pay.
I don’t use it often but don’t see any issue if you have the app. Just put your reg in and payment details then it’s very easy to put money on so your in credit or pay once travelled.
If I’m using it I normally throw £4 on it and I know it’s sorted for the both ways of travel.

[Allegro_Snapon]

Whenever I have forgotten to pay in the deadline I've gone online and paid the £2, sometimes a few days later. I've never got a fine and that is probably 10 or 15 times.

I have an account set up but as I didn't live in Halton I just set up a PAYG account, no registration or deposit, indeed in the 15 times I forgot I was probably in 10 different vehicles. If you had to pay £5+£20 to register each vehicle it would be cheaper to pay the fines than set an account up.

Remember the old Bridge is now tolled as well, coming from the West the bridges save a fortune in time and fuel avoiding going to the East of Warrington.

If you don't like the bridges you could always use the Misery tunnels coming from the West.

My wife commutes over the Mersey gateway. Her route is four miles shorter each way, and she doesn't have 30-50 minute delays on the old bridge. So actually despite paying for the bridge she is nett better off in her pocket due to a shorter more efficient commute. her colleague refuses to use it and adds 17 miles to his journey going M56 East, M6 North over Thelwall, M62 towards Liverpool and then cuts back to Widnes to join Speke Boulevard. All to save £2!

[Sogra]

I use the bridge most days and sometimes multiple times. Massive improvement in my life as saved me hour’s queuing in traffic and well worth the money.

When ever I have dealt with the people on the phone or in person they have been brilliant and really supportive.

Got caught out in the QE2 bridge a few years back and called them and explained and they also were brilliant and just paid the toll

Not sure what the alternative is to be fair as if you put pay booths in then we are slowing everyone down.

All that said the website is a bit clunky and not obvious the first few times I used it but even then opulent go back to what we had previously.

[NWMark]

tommytaylor said:

the fines must be astronomical.

Apparently 97% of crossings are paid for on time but using the latest crossing figures still means £2 million a month in fines.

Edited by NWMark on Monday 24th July 18:43

[tommytaylor]

Sogra said:

I use the bridge most days and sometimes multiple times. Massive improvement in my life as saved me hour’s queuing in traffic and well worth the money.

When ever I have dealt with the people on the phone or in person they have been brilliant and really supportive.

Got caught out in the QE2 bridge a few years back and called them and explained and they also were brilliant and just paid the toll

Not sure what the alternative is to be fair as if you put pay booths in then we are slowing everyone down.

All that said the website is a bit clunky and not obvious the first few times I used it but even then opulent go back to what we had previously.

Its easy to remember to pay if you use it every day, even if I didn't have the app I would remember to pay every night as it would be routine, the problem is for people like me, we did a job in Widnes and I paid up front for the three days we were working there as it was expected but a week or so later we got a called back to the job as someone had cocked up, it was a quick 10 minute job and then on with the rest of the day, completely forgot to pay the fee and never thought anything more about it until the letter turned up.

[E-bmw]

tommytaylor said:

Register1 said:

Just register your car and put £10 on account.
Every Time you go over it, it subtracts the fee.
When you get down to £5.00 it automatically pulls another £10 off your car, into the flow account
Simples.

I cant really find that on the web site, the closest I can see on the account is

£5 registration fee per vehicle
£20 initial account balance to pay for your crossings

https://www.merseyflow.co.uk/non-halton-resident

I'm not about to give them money (£5) so I can have the privilege of giving them even more money. got to be worth going the long way round just to not have to deal with these chancers, I think its only about 20 minutes longer anyway.

But, by your own admission you use it regularly, so you will get 10% off each crossing & will soon wipe out the £5 outlay, where is the problem?

The Humber bridge near me does the same thing 10% off with each crossing, it has more than paid for itself in under a year & when you set up auto top up it takes care of itself, problem solved.

[tommytaylor]

E-bmw said:

tommytaylor said:

Register1 said:

Just register your car and put £10 on account.
Every Time you go over it, it subtracts the fee.
When you get down to £5.00 it automatically pulls another £10 off your car, into the flow account
Simples.

I cant really find that on the web site, the closest I can see on the account is

£5 registration fee per vehicle
£20 initial account balance to pay for your crossings

https://www.merseyflow.co.uk/non-halton-resident

I'm not about to give them money (£5) so I can have the privilege of giving them even more money. got to be worth going the long way round just to not have to deal with these chancers, I think its only about 20 minutes longer anyway.

But, by your own admission you use it regularly, so you will get 10% off each crossing & will soon wipe out the £5 outlay, where is the problem?

The Humber bridge near me does the same thing 10% off with each crossing, it has more than paid for itself in under a year & when you set up auto top up it takes care of itself, problem solved.

Thing is I may never need to use it again or I might need it 5 days a week, it all depends where our jobs take us. tomorrow we are spending a couple of days in Whitehaven wherever that is, lakes I think or around that area.

[Register1]

I use the bridge close to 1000 times a year.
Halton resident, so £10.00 a year.
But my gripe is, only 2 vehicles per household can get the £10.00 LUDS, (local user discount scheme)
So one of our vehicles pays the £1.85 I think ot is for each crossing

[leef44]

I'm not a local but my son lives in Liverpool. I once met up with a friend where I needed to cross over and was not familiar with either the tunnel or the bridges. I even stopped a couple of times to read signs but my phone is old so it was difficult to get a signal and could not download any apps.

It was such a nightmare and I decided to get back on the motorway and go the long way round.

If it had a toll booth, this would have been straightforward for infrequent travellers.

[Bendo]

leef44 said:

If it had a toll booth, this would have been straightforward for infrequent travellers.

And a massive ball ache for everyone having to stop and queue. If people can't manage to pay online, by phone or at a shop with Payzone, then they probably shouldn't be let out on their own really.

[snuffy]

Bendo said:

And a massive ball ache for everyone having to stop and queue. If people can't manage to pay online, by phone or at a shop with Payzone, then they probably shouldn't be let out on their own really.

I've used it a fews (I live near Chester, so not far away) and when I knew I was going to use it then I've always paid in advance.

But the last time I used it was to get my second covid jab and I wasn't sure which car I was going to use, so I decided to just pay afterwards.

Then 2 days later I was talking to the missus about said jab and then "oh cobblers, I forgot to pay, so that will be 2 fines".

So clearly I should not be allowed out on my own it seems.

[leef44]

Bendo said:

leef44 said:

If it had a toll booth, this would have been straightforward for infrequent travellers.

And a massive ball ache for everyone having to stop and queue. If people can't manage to pay online, by phone or at a shop with Payzone, then they probably shouldn't be let out on their own really.

I bow to your superiority. My humblest apology.

[FHCNICK]

My parents dropped me off on the South side of the river and I explained to them how to get back to the M56 (no need to go over the bridge). I spoke to them later and asked if they got home ok but they admitted to getting a bit lost so I went on the website and sure enough they had managed to go over it twice, I paid the £4 so no harm done. If I hadn't checked they would have been clueless until the fine(s) turned up.

I think the system works well but disadvantages the oldest drivers on the road.

[Actual]

In the UK you can arrive at an unfamiliar destination and be presented with dozens of road signs, lane signs, toll signs, congestion signs, ULEZ signs and more. How are you expected to take all this in without stopping on the carriageway?

My real fear is driving in Europe and being presented with similar but all in a different language.