Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry fares to rise after 30 per cent price hike approved

Drivers will have to pay more to cross the River Tamar from January after a 30 per cent rise in fares was approved.

The hike will see prices increase from £2.00 to £2.60 for the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry from 1 January 2023.

The route carries the A38 trunk road across the river, with Plymouth on the east bank and the town of Saltash in Cornwall on the west bank.

Earlier this year the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee says it "reluctantly" took the decision to increase tolls to secure the long-term future of the two crossings.

The crossings are almost entirely funded by toll income, which is used to ensure safe operation and maintenance.

Members of the Joint Committee mentioned the growing level of debt - £43.85m at the end of January 2022 – which had funded capital projects.

They also noted the repayments and interest on this debt represented 33 per cent of toll income by the end of March 2022.

Having considered the evidence, together with the feedback from the public consultation, the Transport Secretary has now approved the formal application to increase cash tolls by 30 per cent.

The charge for those using discounted tags for cars will remain at £1.30.

Every year 18 million vehicles use the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry to cross the river.

Plymouth City Councillor Jonathan Drean and Cornwall Councillor Martin Worth say traffic levels still have not fully recovered post-pandemic:

In a joint statement they said: "The income needed to operate the crossings relies on traffic numbers, and even now, more than two years after the first lockdown, our traffic levels are only about 90% of pre-pandemic levels.

"We need to ensure that we have the funding required to carry out vital safety works and ongoing maintenance to keep services running and enable the public to cross the Tamar safely.

"This additional revenue will address the shortfall in income and provide us with the funding to secure the future of both the bridge and the ferries."