Concerns ongoing over Warburton Toll Bridge charging issues

A concerned councillor has flagged ongoing issues at Warburton Toll Bridge following the introduction of a new charging system, which saw a massive increase in charges.

Cllr Graham Gowland, who represents Lymm South, says that over recent weeks, he has received a very high volume of emails from people affected. While each case is different, there are some clear and consistent themes coming through:

– Very delayed notices — in some cases arriving months after the crossing
– People with active accounts or credit still receiving penalties
– Problems with exemptions, including Blue Badge holders and resident discounts
– Appeals being rejected despite clear evidence
– A lack of clear communication or ability to speak to anyone directly
– Multiple fines arriving at once, often for historic journeys people didn’t know were an issue

Cllr Gowland joined protesters at the toll bridge recently

Cllr Gowland said: “Taken together, I believe the current situation is completely unacceptable and is being handled very badly by the company involved.”
He says the issues are now being raised at multiple levels:

– A number of local MPs have formally written to Peel Ports and Excel Parking, calling for action
– There have been calls to pause backdated enforcement while the system is reviewed
– MPs are collecting individual cases and escalating them directly
– I have also raised concerns with the Department for Transport, who have acknowledged the issues being reported, particularly around delays and fairness

Meanwhilke Cllr Gowland says he is:

– Logging all cases raised with me to build a clear evidence base
– Continuing to raise these issues with MPs and Government
– Sharing anonymised examples (like those above) to demonstrate the scale of the problem
– Supporting calls for a fairer, more transparent system

He added: “While I can’t advise on individual cases, it’s worth noting:

– Submitting an appeal pauses the “clock”
– Some residents have had success through the appeals process
– Keep clear records of dates, payments, and correspondence

“Please keep sending your experiences in — it really does help build the case for change. I’ll continue to push on this and share updates as things develop,” he added.
Cllr. Gowland previously joined protesters at the toll bridge.
Toll bridge charges increased from 12p to £1 after the bridge owners, Peel, secured an act of parliament to increase them, citing ongoing maintenance costs for the high-level bridge, when in fact the toll had been introduced for a smaller stone bridge, long redundant.