Both Mersey Tunnels are open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year (on Christmas Day only Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel is open). However, we may close one of the Tunnels, usually at night, to carry out maintenance. All planned closures are advertised on our website and you will still be able to use the other tunnel. Accidents and emergencies do sometimes occur and, in these instances, we reserve the right to close the tunnel at any time without notice.

The toll rate is not liable for VAT and therefore we do not issue receipts

Exceeding the speed limit is the only endorsable offence under the byelaws.

The maximum fine for breach of a byelaw is £1,000.

We would recommend that you seek independent legal advice on this issue. Merseytravel is not in a position to advise whether or not you should attend court.

For the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight is 3.5 tonnes, except for local bus services and emergency vehicles. For the Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel, the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight is 38 tonnes. Anything above that weight may still travel subject to prior approval based on a load calculation basis. For further details please email [email protected]

For vehicles using the Birkenhead (Queensway) Tunnel then the maximum permitted vehicle dimensions are 3.9m in height, 2.7m in width and 12m in length. For vehicles using the Wallasey (Kingsway) Tunnel then the maximum permitted vehicle dimensions are 5m in height, 2.9m in width and 12.2m in length. For vehicles and trailers the maximum combined length (including any load or loads and drawbar) is 18.3 metres.

The loans are still being paid and will not be paid off until 2048. These payments are fixed and the penalties incurred by paying them off early would make the debt more expensive, so would be a false economy. The debt isn't just related to the construction costs of both the Queensway and Kingsway, but also the money that was borrowed for tunnel maintenance and improvements before the Tunnels Act 2004. This now ensures sufficient funds are generated through tunnel use to allow for their upkeep and improvement without borrowing. The debts are not of a level that would significantly impact the level of the toll.

Bicycles are not permitted through the Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel.

Through the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel, they are not allowed between the hours of 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm on Saturday and 8am to 9pm on Sunday.

Please note: the time limits during a Sunday are only operational between 1st April and 30th September inclusive.

T-FLOW is a quick and easy pre-payment option for travelling through the Mersey Tunnels. You can set up an account where you register your vehicle’s regiatration and then top up by credit or debit card. Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras will recognise your vehicles number plate as you approach the tunnels and, if your account is in credit, the toll will be deducted from your account and the barrier will lift. You can register more than one vehicle to an account and you will see an itemised history of each vehicle usage, allowing you to check expenditure, claim expenses etc.

Click here and follow the simple instructions 

As well as being more convenient and allowing quicker travel through the toll plaza,. You can add a number of vehicles of all classes to your account and travel the same day. You can also manage you account online.

If you are a resident in the Liverpool City Region, you will receive discounted tolls for personal journeys made using your T-FLOW account.

Try using the savings calculator to see how much you can save using T-FLOW

You can pay the toll fee by credit or debit card or cash if they do not want to open a T-FLOW account.

No discounts will be given on cash or card payments and we are unable to give change.

Yes, but your licence plate will not be held within the DVLA source data so you will not be able to apply online. You should contact our customer service team on 0300 131 2881 or email [email protected] quoting your vehicle plate number, make and model and the toll class and our team will register this for you.

We recommend that you make fixed monthly Direct Debit payments to your  T-FLOW account. There is a choice of four payment dates - 3rd,10th,17th and 24th of the month. Simply calculate the maximum number of journeys each month and multiply this by the toll rate. Full details of tolls, fees and charges are available at merseytunnels.co.uk

We will use only relevant categories of DVLA Open Source Data for the purposes of verifying your vehicle’s make and model and automatically classifying the toll category to charge the appropriate toll fare. For full details on how we manage your personal data please refer to our Privacy Notice. 

Is your vehcile number plate DVLA compliant?

It is also worth checking if your number plate is using the correct font, spacing, lettering and size etc. as the ANPR Camera will only read those approved by the DVLA.  You can find out more information about the DVLA standards online here.

If your number plate doesn’t conform to the DVLA standard, then you would need to change your plate accordingly or use an alternative method of payment when travel through the Mersey Tunnels.

Are there screws / bolts in the middle of your number plate?

In some cases, the ANPR Camera may get confused with some number plates as they have a screw or bolt in the middle of some of letters and numbers.  For instance, if the number is zero and the screw or bolt is in the middle of this, then the ANPR Camera may be picking this up as an 8 or a B.  This same problem is also common with the letter D and C etc.  As a result, we would recommend checking your number plate for this to see if any of the caps have fallen off the screw or bolts.  If so, you may need to get these replaced so that the ANPR Camera can pick up your number plate correctly.  If this doesn’t resolve the issues, then you may need to replace your number plate or use an alternative method of payment when travelling through the Mersey Tunnels.

Have you left enough space between you and the vehicle in front?

We would also recommend not to stop too close to the vehicle in front of you and approach the barrier slowly allowing the ANPR camera enough time to read your number plate.

Need further support?

If you continue to have problems, you can email a photograph of the front of your vehicle number plate to [email protected] along with an explanation detailing the issue that you are experiencing.  Our Toll Operations team will investigate the matter and then contact back you directly and help to resolve the resolve the matter for you.

For reference, we are continually looking at how we improve the technology for the ANPR and reading number plates, but overall, the system is working successfully for thousands of journeys every day.

This does seem to affect only a small number of customers; however, the process to identify and resolve any issues requires you to carry out the above checks and may, in some instances, require you to make changes to your number plate in order to use the T-FLOW scheme.

Please Note:  Our Customer Services and T-FLOW  team are not able to resolve this over the phone or email.  In this instance, we advise that you contact our Toll Operations team directly via the email shown above. 

Do you have an active Direct Debit set up on your T-FLOW account?

If the answer is YES:

The refund button has likely been temporarily removed whilst your active Direct Debit payment is being processed.

We're unable to generate a refund request until any pending payments have been fully credited to your T-FLOW account.

As such, the refund button is automatically removed 3-days before and up to 3-days after your chosen scheduled Direct Debit colleciton date (i.e. 3rd, 10th, 17th or 24th)

Once your Direct Debit has been settled and your T-FLOW account credited, the refund button will become available again and you will be able to request a refund as normal online.

If the answer is NO:

The refund button will not be available to you in this instance. 

The refund button online is only availabe if you have an active Direct Debit on your T-FLOW account.

To request a refund, you can download and complete our Refund Request Form.

Once completed, email this form to [email protected] where a member of the team will process your request manually and contact you back to confirm.

Top Up Online

The easiest way to top-up your T-FLOW account is to sign in to your account online, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, using the Mersey Tunnels website.

In the Top Up My Account panel, enter the amount you want to top-up and click the Top Up button.

You will be asked to confirm your top-up before entering your card payment details using a secure checkout function.

Once payment is confirmed, your funds will be credited to your account and available to use within 30 minutes.

Need further support topping up?

If you require additional support with your top up, you can speak to our Customer Services team by calling us on 0300 131 2881

Do you have an active Direct Debit set up on your T-FLOW account?

If yes, the easiest way to request a refund is to log in to your T-FLOW account online at merseytunnels.co.uk.

Select the Payments option followed by Request Refund.  Enter the amount you want to be refunded and click Submit. 

Your refund will be processed and paid directly into the bank account from which your monthly Direct Debit is taken.

Please Note: We cannot process refunds during a Direct Debit payment collection – this means the refund button will be removed from your account 3-days prior to your Direct Debit collection date and up to 3-days after.  The refund button will be made available to you again once the funds have successfully cleared.

If no, to request a refund, you can download and complete our Refund Request Form.

Once completed, email this form to [email protected] where a member of the team will process your request manually and contact you back to confirm.

Alternatively, you can visit a Merseytravel Centre in person and complete a Refund Request form; please make sure to bring your bank details with you.

Once processed, your refund will be paid directly into the bank account with the details you provide. We are unable to issue refunds via cheque.

Cancelling Your Direct Debit

The easiest way to do this is to log in to your online T-FLOW account at merseytunnels.co.uk

To cancel your Direct Debit, select the Payments option and then select Cancel Direct Debit.

Making Changes to your Direct Debit

If you want to change the payment date or amount of your Direct Debit, first you must cancel the Direct Debit as above.

You will need to wait 3 working days before logging back into your online account and setting up a new Direct Debit instruction with your new payment details.

Need Further Support?

If you have questions about your Direct Debit, you can email our Customer Services team on [email protected].

Please Note:  We are not able to cancel or amend Direct Debits over the telephone.

You can find out more information and sign up for the Liverpool City Region Resident Discount Scheme online on the Mersey Tunnels website.

Check out some of our frequently asked questions.

If you need further support or have any questions about the LCR Resident Discount Scheme, you can use our online Get In Touch webform and complete the Ask Us a Question option.

You can speak to our Customer Services team by calling us on 0300 131 2881*

Or, you can visit a Merseytravel Centre in person for further support.

* Calls to this 0300 number are charged at the same rate as calling a local 0151 number.  Calls should also count towards any inclusive or free minutes as provided by most telephone and mobile providers.  If unsure, we recommend that you check with your service provider to understand what is included with your inclusive package.

So we can resolve this as quickly as possible, please email [email protected]  with the following information:

• Your T-FLOW Account number 
• Total amount that you topped up
• Date / time of your top up 
• Full name on the card you used to pay with
• Last four digits of the card you used to paid with 

Please also advise in your email if you would like this payment refunding to your debit / credit card or crediting to your T-FLOW account.

Once our team have received this information, they will investigate the matter and contact you back as soon as possible with the outcome.

Please Note:  Our Customer Services team are unable to resolve this over the phone, please email the T-FLOW team as per above.

Yes, the ANPR cameras are installed on every lane.

There are also dedicated T-FLOW lanes for your added convenience.

Please Note: Vehicle classes 2, 3 and 4 must use attended lanes and the T-FLOW wide lanes at Wallasey.

If you change your vehicle, you can update this easily, simply by registering the new vehicle online at www.merseytunnels.co.uk

If your vehicle is stolen you must report it to us immediately, either online at www.merseytunnels.co.uk or by phoning our customer service team on  0300 131 2881.

Once you report the vehicle as stolen you will no longer be liable for any journeys made by that vehicle. If your vehicle is returned, you must notify us immediately either online or by phone.

If your vehicle is subject to Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) you must declare it immediately either online at www.merseytunnels.co.uk or by phoning our customer service team on 0300 131 2881.

Mersey Tunnels currently offers discounted toll rates for all residents of the Liverpool City Region. To qualify for this discounted toll rate, you must be able to provide evidence that you meet the criteria below: - Registered as living in a property in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, or Wirral local authority boundaries, i.e., your property is within the council tax area of these councils. Hold a valid and current UK driver’s license and be the registered keeper according to the DVLA of a vehicle registered in the same area. Equivalent proof that you are the keeper of the vehicle on an exclusive basis will be required for vehicles that are leased. The discount is only available to class 1 vehicles, i.e., a car or small van**

** A small van weighs less than 3.5 tonnes, please see our Tolls, Fees and Charges for details

The discount is only available to eligible, registered T-FLOW accounts for personal journeys. If you choose to pay your toll by cash or credit or debit card at the plaza, the full toll rate will apply. You can apply online via our website merseytunnels.co.uk. Once your application has been verified and eligibility approved, your vehicle will be automatically classified and,What is when it presents at the toll plaza and is read by the camera, you will automatically be charged at the discounted toll rate.

You must notify Merseytravel of any change to your address, vehicle registration or personal information. Once you are registered for the scheme our website allows you to amend your address online - the process will treat you like a new applicant and you must prove that you remain eligible for the Liverpool City Region residents' discount.

Our online application process, or address change, will automatically verify your residency. However, if this is not possible for any reason, you will be prompted to supply a range of documents to verify your eligibility. The documents you should supply are: your current driving licence your current council tax bill, or a utility bill with your name and address dated within the last three months, your V5C vehicle registration form – showing the vehicle is registered to your address.

The discount is allocated to your T-FLOW account. Therefore, you can either, have a joint account with your partner or household or each household member can opt to open their own account, assuming of course, each individual can demonstrate and prove they meet the criteria. There is a restriction to four vehicles for each personal account.

Yes, you must register in advance for T-FLOW and demonstrate that you are eligible for this discount. If you do noWhat if I hvae t register, proving eligibility, the full cash toll rate will apply.

Registering for T-FLOW is free. However, the scheme operates on a pre-payment basis, so during the application process you will be asked to make an initial payment to your account which will add credit so that you can use it straight away. The full amount of your top up is credited towards any journeys. Your account must always remain in credit and you can set up a regular monthly Direct Debits or top up by debit or credit card online if you prefer. You can keep a track of your balance online and the lane display messages will also indicate when your balance is running low to alert you to top up your account.

Any business users, including taxis and driving instructors, who meet the criteria for the resident discount scheme and are using their vehicles for private journeys can register for the scheme for private journeys only. All commercial trips, or trips for a business, through the Mersey Tunnels must be declared and paid for via cash or card. You can register a vehicle to only one T-FLOW account.

You can apply for free travel through the Mersey Tunnels if: You hold a Disabled Persons (Blue) Parking badge and • receive the highest rate of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance; or • you are over 65 and receive the highest rate of Attendance Allowance; or • you receive the enhanced rate of the mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment; or • you receive the mobility supplement of a War Pension.

Yes, it is a condition of issue that is strictly monitored. If you are not in the correct vehicle, or not in the vehicle at all, and someone tries to use the concession, then it may be confiscated.

We will add your new allowance to your journeys automatically on 1st April each year. You cannot carry forward any journeys left in your account on 31st March and they will be cancelled.

If you wish to change your nominated vehicle please call 0300 131 2881. Our staff will be able to help you over the telephone, between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday. Or you can visit a Merseytravel Centre.

You may appeal within one month of the date of your decision outcome. The appeal must be made in writing and you must enclose further relevant official documentation dated within the last 12 months to support your appeal. Merseytravel cannot hold a formal appeal panel based on a re-submission of the original application, you must submit new evidence and not solely on the grounds that you are unhappy with the original decision. Take your supporting documents to a Merseytravel Centre or post them to:

Concessions Customer Delivery Team

Merseytravel

PO Box 1976

Liverpool

L69 3HN.

More information is available online at https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/tunnels/tunnel-tours/ 

You must book your tour in advance by calling 0300 131 2881or emailing [email protected] 

Tours take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 5pm, and Saturday mornings at 10am.

The tour will take approx two hours.