Useful information
UK Toll Roads, Bridges and Tunnels: A Driver’s Guide
Some UK roads, bridges and tunnels charge drivers to use them. Payment arrangements vary and can change. This guide covers a selection of well-known crossings rather than every road charge in the country.
If you drive around Britain regularly, you are likely to encounter a toll at some point. Knowing how it is collected is as useful as knowing the price: several crossings require payment away from the road itself.
Use this guide to identify tolls on your route, understand why they are charged and plan the cost of your journey before setting off.
UK road tolls: the essentials
Tolls are rarely the most welcome part of a journey, particularly when a short bridge crossing costs several pounds. They have different purposes, however, and the way the money is used depends on the individual scheme.
What is a toll road?
A toll road is a road for which drivers pay a usage charge. Similar charges apply to certain bridges and tunnels. Charges for driving within a defined urban area are separate schemes and may have different rules.
Why are tolls charged?
Toll revenue can help fund construction, maintenance and improvements. Some charging schemes also manage traffic demand. The operator’s published information explains the purpose and arrangements for each road or crossing.
Can you avoid tolls?
If you use a chargeable road during its charging period, you must pay unless an exemption applies. Choosing another route beforehand may be possible.
For an unfamiliar journey, check a route planner and the crossing operator’s information in advance. Find out both whether a charge applies and how the operator accepts payment.
Most route planners can suggest ways around toll roads. Compare the extra distance, fuel and likely delay with the toll itself: the longer route is not always the cheaper journey.
Where are the UK’s toll roads and crossings?
The M6toll near Birmingham and the Dartford Crossing are familiar examples. Other bridges and tunnels have more local payment systems that visitors may not expect.
The list below covers 13 roads and crossings. It includes crossings where tolls have been abolished, alongside routes that still charge vehicles today.
How much do UK tolls cost?
Each operator sets its own vehicle classes and rates. Motorcycles may pay less than cars, while vans, motorhomes and vehicles towing trailers can fall into different categories. Check the classification for your actual vehicle.
The time of travel can also affect the price. Some schemes offer lower off-peak rates or account discounts; others charge the same amount throughout their operating hours. Check the relevant tariff before travelling.
The figures below are standard reference prices for a car without a trailer. Vehicle class, direction, time, account type and local concessions can change the amount due. Confirm Bathampton/Batheaston’s current tariff with its operator before crossing.
Crossings and indicative charges
• M6 — M6toll, West Midlands: £12.00 for a class 2 journey through all 3 zones; 2 zones cost £9.50 and 1 zone £6.90. • M25 / A282 — Dartford Crossing: £3.50 per car crossing, or £2.80 with a pre-pay account. • M4 — Prince of Wales Bridge: free; tolls ended on 17 December 2018. • M48 — Severn Bridge: free; tolls ended on 17 December 2018. • A4 — Bathampton/Batheaston Toll Bridge: check the current operator tariff before crossing. • A15 — Humber Bridge: £2.00 for a car, or £1.50 with an account. • A19 — Tyne Tunnels: £2.60 for a car below 3.5 tonnes, or £2.34 with pre-payment. • A38 — Tamar Bridge: £3.00 for a car paying by cash or card, or £1.50 with TamarTag. The toll is collected eastbound. • A41 — Queensway Mersey Tunnel: the standard class 1 toll is £2.40; local concessions have separate eligibility rules. • A59 — Kingsway Mersey Tunnel: the standard class 1 toll is £2.40; local concessions have separate eligibility rules. • A57 — Dunham Bridge: check the operator’s current tariff for your vehicle class. • A477 — Cleddau Bridge: free; tolls ended in 2019. • A3025 — Itchen Bridge: the standard class 2 car toll is £1.20; eligible local users have different concessionary rates.
A few facts from toll-road history
A September 2016 BBC report described £3.5 million in penalties after Dartford’s toll booths were removed. The current penalty amounts and payment deadlines are set out in the guidance above.
Clifton Suspension Bridge is a Grade I listed structure. It opened on 8 December 1864 and remains one of Britain’s best-known historic bridges.
Tolls at Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire ended in 2019. The old charge of 35 pence for a horse is therefore a historical curiosity, not a current tariff.
Scotland’s remaining bridge tolls were abolished in 2008.
The operator’s published 2025 figures put average daily traffic on the M6toll at 45,749 vehicles. That is an annual average for 2025, not a forecast or a daily count for 2026.
Swinford Bridge in Oxfordshire is privately owned. Its sale in 2009 was reported at £1.08 million. Check the operator’s signs for the toll payable on your journey.
Aldwark Toll Bridge in Yorkshire has a long history of repairs and rebuilding, including accounts of damage from river ice in the nineteenth century. Check the operator’s current crossing arrangements before travelling.
At Kingsland Bridge in Shrewsbury, check the operator’s signs for the charges and conditions that apply to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Travel information: October 2026. Check the applicable vehicle class, payment method and deadline before using a toll road or crossing. Confirm local prices for Bathampton/Batheaston, Dunham, Swinford and Kingsland with their operators. Rates and conditions may change before your journey.