Mersey Gateway bridge to be toll free for Halton residents

Halton residents will not have to pay to cross the Silver Jubilee and Mersey Gateway bridges, Chancellor George Osborne has announced.

Cllr Rob Polhill, leader of Halton Council, said: “Halton Borough Council is delighted by the Chancellor’s announcement that the government will provide the additional funding which will ensure free* trips across Silver Jubilee Bridge and the new Mersey Gateway Crossing for all Halton residents.”

David Parr, chief executive of Halton Council, added: “Since the government approved the scheme back in 2006, Halton Council and our MPs have worked tirelessly, with Steve Nicholson and the Mersey Gateway Team, behind the scenes, to persuade Government to meet the full cost of tolls for ALL Halton residents. This has been a long process and not many believed we would achieve our aim, but we have.”

Steve Nicholson, interim chief executive of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, said: “The £250 million savings we have made on the project through our innovative approach to procurement has helped make a toll free crossing for local residents more affordable to government. I would like to thank the project team and also our contractors, Merseylink for delivering such vital procurement savings.”