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Tolls and crossings

What the crossings cost you

Started because a driver pointed out that a single Liverpool airport run from North Wales is three charges, not one: a toll out, a toll back, and the airport drop-off. Nowhere adds them up for you.

Why this is harder to look up than it should be

A pattern across every operator checked. THEY PUBLISH THE DISCOUNTS LOUDLY AND HIDE THE PRICE. Merseyflow lists every pass then sends you to a calculator, and states the actual toll only inside a poster image. The M6 Toll advertises up to 42% off before it tells you what you are getting 42% off, and on the full car route the real saving is 15%. Dart Charge is the honourable exception and simply prints the table. If you cannot find what a crossing costs, you are not being thick, it genuinely is not written down.

Crossing by crossing

Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels

Where
Under the Thames in east London. Blackwall was free for decades and is not any more.
What it costs you
Car or small van: £1.50 on Auto Pay off-peak, £4.00 on Auto Pay at peak, and £4.00 if you pay by phone or online rather than Auto Pay. Charged per tunnel crossing.
Every class
Motorcycles £1.50 off-peak, £2.50 peak. Cars and small vans £1.50 / £4.00. Large vans £2.50 / £6.50. HGVs £5.00 / £10.00. Anyone not on Auto Pay pays the peak rate at all times.
Which class you are
A private hire car is cars and small vans. A TfL licensed taxi is exempt entirely, see below.
When it applies
06:00 to 22:00, seven days a week, both directions. Peak is weekdays only, northbound 06:00-10:00 and southbound 16:00-19:00. Off-peak covers everything else in the charging window, including all weekend.
How and when to pay
No barriers and no tollbooths, and you cannot pay at the tunnel. Auto Pay, online, the TfL Pay to drive in London app, or phone 0343 222 2222. You have until midnight on the THIRD day after.
If you don't pay
A Penalty Charge Notice if you do not pay in time.
Ways to pay less
  • Auto Pay: free to join, up to five vehicles, gets the off-peak rate and protects against PCNs while registered.
  • 50% off for drivers living in 12 East London boroughs or the City of London who are on certain benefits.
  • £1 off the off-peak charge for small businesses, sole traders and charities in Greenwich, Newham or Tower Hamlets, up to three vehicles.
  • Blue Badge holders: 100% discount, applied automatically if you already hold one with TfL.

Worth knowing. THE MOST IMPORTANT TAXI RULE ON THIS PAGE, AND IT SPLITS THE TRADE IN TWO. TfL licensed taxis pay NOTHING at any time. Private hire is different: a PHV is only exempt if it is zero-emission capable AND wheelchair accessible AND licensed by TfL AND carrying out a booking. Every other private hire vehicle pays, and if you are not on Auto Pay you pay the peak rate every single time, £4.00 a crossing rather than £1.50. Auto Pay is free and takes five vehicles, so there is no good reason to be paying £4.00.

Check this is current. PRICES RISE ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2026, which is weeks away. Cars go from £1.50 to £1.55 off-peak and from £4.00 to £4.20 peak. Large vans to £2.60 and £6.80, HGVs to £5.25 and £10.50.

Also charged for. Patients travelling to NHS hospital appointments may be able to claim a refund.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Dartford Crossing (Dart Charge)

Where
M25 Thames crossing between Kent and Essex. The busiest paid crossing in the country.
What it costs you
Car, motorhome or minibus up to 9 seats: £3.50, or £2.80 on a pre-pay account.
Every class
Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes: FREE. Car, motorhome or minibus up to 9 seats: £3.50, £2.80 pre-pay. Two-axle goods vehicles: £4.20, £3.60 pre-pay. Multi-axle: £8.40, £7.20 pre-pay.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is Class B, the car rate.
When it applies
6am to 10pm, every day including weekends and bank holidays.
How and when to pay
By midnight the day after you cross. A pre-pay account saves up to 20%.
If you don't pay
A fine if you do not pay on time.
Ways to pay less
  • Pre-pay account, up to 20% off. Car rate drops from £3.50 to £2.80.
  • Free if you get free UK vehicle tax because of a disability. Checked automatically, nothing to do.

Worth knowing. IT IS FREE BETWEEN 10PM AND 6AM. The charge only applies 6am to 10pm, so anyone working nights crosses Dartford for nothing. That is not hidden exactly, but it is not what anyone tells you either, and it is worth knowing before you route around it or add it to a fare.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge

Where
Runcorn to Widnes, on the route between North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool
What it costs you
Class 2 (car, van under 3.5t, up to 8 seats): £2.40 per one-way trip. Charged each way, so a return is £4.80.
Every class
Class 1, motorcycles and local buses: FREE. Class 2, car/van/up to 8 seats: £2.40. Class 3, 3.5-12t trucks and buses under 5t: £7.20. Class 4, over 12t and buses over 5t: £9.60. All one-way and applicable each way.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is Class 2: car, van under 3.5 tonnes, or small truck up to 8 seats.
How and when to pay
No payment booths. Pay up to 12 months in advance or by 11.59pm the day after crossing. Quick pay app, merseyflow.co.uk, phone 01928 878 878, in person at Howard Court, Manor Park, Runcorn WA7 1SJ, or at any of 10,000 Payzone outlets. You need your vehicle registration.
If you don't pay
Penalty Charge Notice of up to £75 if you do not pay on time.
Ways to pay less
  • Pre-pay account: anyone, wherever they live, pays a £5 one-off fee and saves up to 10% on every crossing.
  • Monthly unlimited pass, Class 2: £110 a month, 24 hours a day on both bridges.
  • Monthly off-peak pass, Class 2: £75 a month, covering 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday, and 24 hours a day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
  • Halton residents: £12 a year admin fee for unlimited personal trips, reduced to £10 with auto renewal and auto payment.
  • Blue Badge holders: £5 one-off registration, then unlimited trips at no extra charge.

Worth knowing. THE OFF-PEAK PASS IS ALMOST EXACTLY A TAXI DRIVER'S SHIFT. £75 a month covers 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. That is nights and weekends, which is when most of this trade actually works. Anyone doing regular Liverpool airport or Merseyside runs on evenings and weekends should price that against what they are paying per crossing now. The unlimited pass at £110 covers days as well. Neither is advertised at drivers and neither is on any toll comparison site.

When a pass pays for itself. WHEN A PASS STARTS PAYING FOR ITSELF, at £2.40 each way. A return crossing is £4.80. The £75 off-peak pass breaks even at about 16 return trips a month, which is four a week. The £110 unlimited pass breaks even at about 23 return trips a month. The £5 pre-pay account saves up to 10%, so roughly 24p a crossing, and pays for itself after about 21 crossings. If you run Liverpool airport or Merseyside regularly on evenings and weekends, the off-peak pass is very likely cheaper than what you are paying now.

Check this is current. THE POSTER STATES 'Correct as of April 2025' AND IT IS NOW AUGUST 2026. Merseyflow's own page also refers to toll charge and scheme changes that took effect on 1 April 2025. So £2.40 is their published figure but it may have been uprated since. Treat it as the last confirmed price, not a guarantee, and check before budgeting a contract on it.

Source: operator's page · their price table. Checked 2026-08-19.

Mersey Tunnels (Queensway and Kingsway)

Where
Liverpool to Birkenhead and Wallasey, under the Mersey. Different crossing from the Mersey Gateway.
What it costs you
Class 1, a car: £2.40 cash or card, and £2.40 on a T-FLOW prepaid account. The account saves a car nothing.
Every class
Class 1: £2.40 cash/card, £2.40 T-FLOW, £1.60 LCR resident. Class 2: £4.80 cash/card, £4.00 T-FLOW. Class 3: £7.20 cash/card, £6.00 T-FLOW. Class 4: £9.60 cash/card, £8.00 T-FLOW.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is Class 1.
When it applies
Tolls valid from 1 April 2026.
How and when to pay
Cash, card or contactless in the AUTO lanes, or a T-FLOW prepaid account. They do not give change, so bring the right money or use contactless.
If you don't pay
An extra £16 administrative charge if tolls or escort fees are unpaid after 14 days.
Ways to pay less
  • T-FLOW prepaid account: saves nothing on Class 1. Saves 80p on Class 2, £1.20 on Class 3 and £1.60 on Class 4.
  • Liverpool City Region resident discount: Class 1 drops from £2.40 to £1.60. Requires a prepaid account AND you must not be travelling for business.

Worth knowing. THE DISCOUNT THAT WOULD HELP A LIVERPOOL DRIVER MOST IS THE ONE THEY ARE BARRED FROM USING. The resident discount takes a Class 1 car from £2.40 to £1.60, but the operator states you must not be travelling for business reasons. So if you live in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton or Wirral, you pay £1.60 driving your own family through and £2.40 doing exactly the same journey on a job. And a T-FLOW account saves a Class 1 vehicle nothing at all, so there is no working-driver discount here whatsoever. Worth knowing before you sign up expecting one.

Also charged for. Vehicles needing a police escort for exceptional height or width are charged separately from April 2026: £25 to control one lane, £57 for two. If you break down they move you to a tunnel entrance and recovery from there is your problem, with a specialist charge if the vehicle cannot be easily towed.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Tyne Tunnel

Where
Jarrow to North Shields, under the Tyne.
What it costs you
Car, van or bus under 3.5 tonnes: £2.60, or £2.34 with a pre-paid account.
Every class
Motorbikes and exempt account holders: FREE. Car, van or bus under 3.5t: £2.60. LGV, van or bus over 3.5t: £5.20. All tolls are exempt from VAT.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is the under 3.5 tonne rate.
When it applies
A toll is due each time you pass through. North and south is two tolls, because a passage is one direction only.
How and when to pay
Website, app, automated phone line 0191 574 0030, or a PayPoint retailer. YOU CANNOT PAY CASH AT THE TUNNEL. If you want to pay cash it has to be at a PayPoint.
If you don't pay
An Unpaid Toll Charge Notice.
Ways to pay less
  • Pre-paid account: 10% off every passage, taking a car from £2.60 to £2.34.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Humber Bridge

Where
Hessle to Barton-upon-Humber.
What it costs you
Two axle vehicle under 3.5 tonnes, so a car or small van: £2.00, or £1.50 with an account.
Every class
Motorbikes and trikes: FREE. Cars, small vans and caravans, 2 axles under 3.5t: £2.00, £1.50 with an account. 2 axles 3.5-7t, 9-16 seat minibuses, buses, coaches and agricultural: £5.00, £4.00. Three axles or more over 7.5t: £15.00, £12.00.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is the 2 axle under 3.5 tonne rate.
When it applies
Payable in both directions.
How and when to pay
Online, the app, cash or card at any PayPoint, or phone customer services on 01482 235500. You have until midnight on the day after you crossed.
If you don't pay
An Unpaid Toll Notification is triggered at midnight and an admin fee of £25 is added to the toll owed.
Ways to pay less
  • A Humber Bridge Toll account: £2.00 down to £1.50 for a car, a saving of 50p a crossing.

Mind the advertising. The £25 admin fee is more than twelve times the toll itself. Miss one £2 crossing by a day and it becomes £27.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Tamar Bridge

Where
Saltash in Cornwall to Plymouth in Devon.
What it costs you
Under 3.5 tonnes, 2 axles: £3.00 cash or card, or £1.50 with a TamarTag. Half price.
Every class
Motorcycles: FREE. Under 3.5t 2 axles: £3.00, £1.50 TamarTag. Over 3.5t 2 axles: £7.30, £3.65. Over 3.5t 3 axles: £12.00, £6.00. Over 3.5t 4 or more axles: £16.50, £8.25. A trailer doubles it.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is under 3.5 tonnes, 2 axles. Quad bikes, trikes and motorcycles with a sidecar are charged as a car.
When it applies
ONE WAY ONLY. The toll is payable on the trip from Saltash into Plymouth, so Cornwall to Devon. Going the other way is free.
How and when to pay
Card payments accepted on the bridge, or a TamarTag account.
Ways to pay less
  • TamarTag: 50% off. £3.00 down to £1.50 for a car, and the same halving on every other class. The biggest single discount of any crossing on this page.

Worth knowing. TWO THINGS MAKE THIS THE BEST VALUE CROSSING TO HOLD AN ACCOUNT FOR. A TamarTag halves the toll outright rather than shaving 10% off it, and the bridge is only charged in one direction, so a return trip into Cornwall and back costs you one £1.50 rather than two. Anyone crossing regularly is losing half of every toll by paying cash.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Itchen Bridge, Southampton

Where
Central Southampton to Woolston, over the Itchen.
What it costs you
Cars, small vans and small 4x4s: £1.20. Larger vans and 4x4s: £1.60, but a Southampton City Council registered taxi pays £1.20.
Every class
Charged by the HEIGHT of your vehicle at the front axle. Class 1, motorcycles and three-wheelers: no charge. Class 2, up to 1.33m, cars and small vans: £1.20, residents 40p, disabled free. Class 3, 1.33m to 2.39m, large vans and large 4x4s: £1.60, business concession 60p, SOUTHAMPTON REGISTERED TAXI £1.20. Class 4, over 2.39m: £40.00, business concession £3.00.
Which class you are
Measured on height at the first axle, not weight. A normal saloon is Class 2. Anything taller than 1.33m is Class 3.
When it applies
No charge on Christmas Day.
How and when to pay
Contactless or a SmartCities card at the booth, or cash. Coins only, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2, and they do not give change.
Ways to pay less
  • Southampton City Council registered taxi: Class 3 charged at the Class 2 rate, £1.20 instead of £1.60.
  • Residents with a SmartCities card: 40p in Class 2.
  • Business concession: 60p in Class 3, £3.00 in Class 4.
  • Disabled: free in Class 2.

Worth knowing. A RARE THING, AN ACTUAL TAXI CONCESSION. A vehicle registered as a taxi with Southampton City Council pays the Class 2 rate of £1.20 even if it is tall enough to be Class 3. Almost no crossing in the country has a taxi rate at all, and this one is worth 40p a crossing to anyone driving something bigger than a saloon. Note the classes go on HEIGHT at the front axle, so an MPV or a tall estate that would be a car everywhere else is Class 3 here.

Mind the advertising. Class 4, anything over 2.39m, is £40.00. That is not a typo and it is thirty three times the car rate.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

M6 Toll

Where
West Midlands. The only tolled motorway in the country.
What it costs you
Class 2, full route from M6(S)/M42 to M6(N) J11/11A: £12.00 standard, £12.00 on a Lite account, £10.20 on a Breeze account.
Which class you are
A taxi or private hire car is Class 2.
How it is priced
It is priced by zone, not as one flat toll, so what you pay depends on where you join and where you leave. £12 is the full run. A shorter hop costs less.
Ways to pay less
  • Breeze account: £10.20 instead of £12.00 on the full route, a saving of £1.80.
  • Lite account: NO saving on the full route. It is £12.00, the same as paying standard.

Mind the advertising. TWO THINGS THAT DO NOT MATCH THE ADVERTISING. The M6 Toll promotes discounts of 'up to 42%', but on the full Class 2 route a Breeze account saves £1.80 on £12, which is 15%. The 42% will apply to some other class or some other zone combination. And a Lite account saves you nothing at all on that route, it is £12 either way, so do not assume any account is a discount. Check your own zones before signing up to either.

Source: operator's page. Checked 2026-08-19.

Not finished, and saying so

Still outstanding: the charging zones, which cost a working driver far more than most tolls. The London Congestion Charge and ULEZ, and the seven Clean Air Zones at Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside, where the taxi and private hire rules differ by authority and GOV.UK expressly tells you to go and ask each council. Plus the smaller toll bridges, which almost no working driver will meet.

Nine crossings properly checked beats twenty where half came from a toll comparison site. If you use one that is not here, tell us which and it goes to the front of the queue — taxitoolsuk@gmail.com.

Toll prices change, and some operators publish them only inside a calculator or an image, so a figure here is the last one they published rather than a guarantee. Check before you build a fare or a contract around it. Last checked 2026-08-19.

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