This bridge is just down the road from me, it doesn't affect me directly because I haven't been caught by it yet but plenty of others have (including my mate 3 times) and there is now a Facebook action group page as lots have been caught out by dodgy websites and late late fines apparently.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1854203578242943/Back story is the bridge used to be 12p to cross and had a manned toll booth, it was recently renovated and the toll was put up to £1 each way but more importantly the toll booth was removed and replaced by ANPR, relying on the motorist to remember to pay on-line, just like the Mersey gateway bridge. No I know from experience, if you don't use it regularly then its almost impossible to remember to pay it once you get home, life just takes over and I've been had more than once on the Mersey bridge.
A the end of the day that's just user error though but the people on the Action group seem to be getting scammed left right and centre by Peel (the bridge owners). Could anyone possible take the time to look at the Facebook page and have a gander at the by-laws controlling it and see if they have any hope of anything, I don't know enough and I don't think the people on the Facebook page do either
As an aside the original toll was to cross a little stone bridge that the river Mersey went under way before the ship canal was ever built. Once the ship canal was built the Mersey was diverted into the canal and the bit under the bridge dried up so it wasn't even needed but the toll remained. The toll didn't cover the iron bridge, that had to be provided free of charge by the ship canal company just like several other bridges they had to provide along the route. however peel somehow have managed to now incorporate the big iron bridge into the toll charges.
The stone bridge is just after the toll booth.
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I've not had much chance to look into it (and although I live relatively nearby I've not had cause to drive over there since they brought the ANPR system in), but it's notable that they're using Excel to manage it. When it comes to private parking charges at least, they're one of the more aggressive firms we see*.
* Although it doesn't always end well for them:
Parking firm told to pay £10k in five-minute rule row
Have you any idea if the tickets issued are just the equivalent of private parking tickets or are they similar to the ones you might get in a railway car park, I think they are called ECN's and issued under by-laws? I believe they are a bit dodgy and can be enforced in Magistrates court can't they? The bridge tickets seem to be called UTN's and mention the bylaws on them.
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As an aside the original toll was to cross a little stone bridge that the river Mersey went under way before the ship canal was ever built. Once the ship canal was built the Mersey was diverted into the canal and the bit under the bridge dried up so it wasn't even needed but the toll remained. The toll didn't cover the iron bridge, that had to be provided free of charge by the ship canal company just like several other bridges they had to provide along the route. however peel somehow have managed to now incorporate the big iron bridge into the toll charges.
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Owners appear to be Rixton and Warburton Bridge Company Limited which shares directors with the Manchester Ship Canal Company Limited
see pages 11 of
https://www.warburtontollbridge.co.uk/app/uploads/2026/04/Rixton-and-Warburton-Bridge-Byelaws-2024.pdfand page 10 for a map of highway the R&WBC control.
I read the bylaws the other day, the section on tolls is pretty vague to be honest. Doesn't mention anything about what happens if the "unpaid toll charges" aren't paid, surely it should say how this is then enforced, I'll have a look at the Merser bridge bylaws and see what they say later. All it does say is a driver is liable to pay a toll as mentioned on the signs, doesn't mention the registered keeper is liable for the original toll at all.
I've had a look at the bylaws, and they are similar [but crucially not identical] to those in operation at Tyne Tunnels.
As to liability the bylaws state ...The person driving the vehicle across...so it's the driver.
Assuming they can get it into civil court [as opposed to magistrates, and we will come to that] then it would fall to the company to prove who was driving - and as we all know that's virtually impossible [as private parking companies found out for many years until POFA 2012].
The 'penalty' for not paying a toll is a breach of the bylaws and a possoble level 3 fine at Mags Court [which company will not do be cause of 1. cost and 2. even if sccessful the 'fine' imposed goes to the court and the company gets nowt. Not paying the 'charge' is NOT a criminal offence.
Crucially nowhere in the bylaws does it give the company the right to take action in the civil courts for the recovery of tolls and charges - ie they have no legal standing to seek the toll and charge via the civil courts.
Anyone reading the byelaws would probably be wise to also read The Rixton and Warburton Bridge Order 2024.
Part 4 appears to contain provisions relating to liability for tolls. 8(2) and 8(4) seem interesting:
The wording in Part 4 has the feel of a wording which is drafted by a parking operator.
They appear to attempt to change a byelaw breach into a contractual breach.
I cannot see this working in the County Court for a number of reasons.
In my opinion the wording still isn't tight (for example, they use the words 'penalty charges').
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