The £5.2m project to create an electronic toll system at the Humber Bridge is progressing well, following the completion of the second phase of installation last week.

The first phase of work on the west side of the toll plaza reached an end after the new booth canopy was put in place, meaning development can now be made on the east side of the area.

This will include the removal of the old canopy section, along with the construction of the steel and concrete groundworks for the erection of the new one, which is scheduled for mid-January, when the new toll booths are expected to arrive.

The changing landscape at the toll plaza shows a significant step forward for the project, which Bridgemaster Peter Hill is delighted about.

He said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress being made at this early stage of the toll project.

“We encountered a few minor delays when breaking out the toll islands, water-proofing the tunnel slab and underlining the canopy, but thanks to the good weather we’ve had so far this autumn, we have managed to catch-up.

“We are looking forward to the next stage of work on the east side of the toll plaza, which is due to commence this week.”

The Humber Bridge toll project involves a major redevelopment of the tolling plaza and systems, alongside the creation of some of the first ‘open road tolling’ free-flow lanes in the UK.

These will enable drivers to cross the Humber Bridge without stopping, and are designed to reduce crossing times and congestion at busy times.

Customers who want to take advantage of electronic tolling will have a small ‘tag’ placed permanently in the windscreen of their vehicles, which will be automatically read each time they cross the bridge.

These tags will be tied to a customer account, which will then be debited each time they cross the bridge.
The project is set to be completed by autumn/winter 2014.

Regular updates about the progress of the works and any disruptions or delays will be made available at www.humberbridgetollproject.co.uk, and details regarding obtaining tags and registering for toll payment accounts will be announced closer to the official launch of the new system.