A couple say they have been issued with a fine of £620 for driving across a toll bridge. Under new rules which came into force last year, motorists must pay a £1 toll online by midnight the following day after crossing Warburton Toll Bridge, which straddles the border of Cheshire and Greater Manchester in Trafford. Failure to pay results in an Unpaid Toll Charge notification letter, and can lead to up to £100 fines.
Pre-payment account 'worked perfectly'
The couple said they opened a pre-payment account for the toll bridge, which crosses the Manchester Ship Canal, back in November, when the payment option began. In a post to a Facebook group with more than 11,000 members - the Warburton Toll Bridge Action Group - the woman said it 'worked perfectly' initially.
But she said that after they returned from a holiday in mid-August, they found 20 notification letters in their letter box. She claims the system 'must have failed' but despite complaining they still face a total fine of £620.
Couple 'absolutely distraught'
The woman, who the Manchester Evening News isn't identifying, said the situation has 'consumed them' over months. Hitting out at the charges, she says they are aged 56 and 62 and 'honest people' who have now been left 'absolutely distraught' by the fine threat.
In the post, she said: "My husband and I, 56 and 62 respectively, opened a pre-payment account for the Warburton Toll bridge back in November when it was set up and it has worked perfectly until we came back from holiday halfway through August to 20 UTCN [Unpaid Toll Charge notification letters] in our box."
"I immediately logged on to the account and saw that there was a month's gap between 1/7/26 and 16/8/26 when I logged in. We have auto-pay set up and it has always worked, but somehow their system must have failed but we had no notification to say our balance had gone to zero even though we have set it up to email us when it gets to £5."
"We have appealed each one individually and contacted Micheal Wheeler the MP and even Watchdog. But we heard yesterday our appeal for the first letter (so others will all be following) has been declined and we will have to pay £620. I am absolutely distraught. This has consumed me for the last month as we are honest people who have a pre-payment account set up with a £20 payment history each month. We simply do not have this money and have no idea what to do."
Hundreds of motorists affected
They are among hundreds of motorists who have been issued with huge fines since the bridge toll increase and introduction of a new ANPR system on the road. Previously, tolls were collected in person before an online payment system was introduced in December 2025. The change saw the fee rise from 12p to £1 - an increase of more than 700 per cent.
Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras are now used to monitor the crossing. Excel Parking Services Limited manages the Warburton Toll Bridge. The Manchester Evening News has contacted the company for comment.
