Warburton Toll Bridge Protest: Drivers Demand Fair Treatment

A protest will be held at Warburton Toll Bridge on 4 May at 10am as people express their frustration with the new toll operations.

People who drive over the toll bridge face issues such as fines, problems with account top-ups, and complaints about unclear signs and a lack of notifications.

Since the new online payment system was introduced, people have faced many issues, often ending up with unexpected backdated fines exceeding £100. Previously, it only cost 12p to cross the bridge, but now it costs £1.

Fines are £30 if paid within 14 days, £60 if paid between 14 and 28 days, and £100 if paid after 28 days, along with some admin charges. Even exempt users have reportedly been fined, showing that the bridge owners need to address this issue urgently.

According to the Warburton Bridge Website:

The toll is required to be paid by midnight the day after travel. If you’ve failed to pay by the deadline, this will result in an Unpaid Toll Charge (UTC) being automatically issued.

If the Warburton Bridge doesn’t receive your toll payment before the deadline stated, we will contact the DVLA to request the name and address of the registered keeper of the vehicle. The UTC will then be issued to the contact provided.

If you are outside of the payment window, any payment you do make will be used for future passages and not passages you have already made.

To appeal the charge you will need to await the UTC before this is possible.

It is clear that the bridge needs urgent updates to the toll system to prevent future issues. This should include easy-to-understand signs for visitors to avoid getting fined.

Protesters are advised to remain calm and not block anyone using the bridge during the protest, and to stay lawful at all times. We know that local election candidates and parish councillors will also be joining the protest.

Image from Social Media