Fees for travelling through the Mersey Tunnels are set to rise in April.
Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority is considering implementing a 20p increase on the tolls for the Birkenhead and Wallasey tunnels.
If approved it will be the first time that fees have risen in five years, which transport chiefs claim is in response to growing budget and maintenance costs.
Residents in the Liverpool City Region are still set to receive a discounted fee through the Fast Tag or T-Flow prepayment systems despite the increase.
It will still mean that single-car crossings through the tunnel from April 1 will rise from £1.80 to £2 while Fast Tag prices will increase from £1 to £1.20.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram had made reducing the Fast Tag fee to £1 part of his mandate for being elected as leader of the combined authority in 2017.
However he has now explained that the increase is attributable to combined factors of Covid-19, maintenance cost and other budgetary pressures.
He said: “COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the public sector over the past two years and the Combined Authority is not immune to that.
“The costs of keeping our region running, supporting the local economy through the worst of the pandemic and investing to kickstart our recovery have been significant and will continue to be felt for some time.
“The government’s failure to deliver its promise of ‘whatever it takes’ in funding support has tied our hands financially.
“It means that difficult decisions need to be taken to keep vital public services running while also investing for the future.
“The Mersey Tunnels are a critical part of our region’s infrastructure and require significant, year-round maintenance yet we receive no central government help to keep them running safely and efficiently.
“Given the financial pressures the pandemic has forced on us – and the moral duty we have to tackle the climate emergency – we have taken the decision this year to raise Mersey Tunnel tolls to help us balance the books and continue develop a London-style transport system that offers people a reliable, affordable alternative to the car.”
The Combined Authority’s Transport Authority will assess the proposal next week before a potential rubber-stamping at a Budget meeting on January 21.