Tamar Tag Admin Fee Consultation

Introduction

Tamar Crossings – the Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint Ferry – are owned by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council and operated by a Joint Committee on their behalf. 

In spring 2024, Tamar Crossings applied to the Department for Transport for a toll increase. This is a legal process and only the Government can approve changes to the toll. The increase was set at the minimum level needed to: 

  • Meet rising costs 
  • Maintain a small reserve for future works 

Following Government approval, the toll increase was implemented in May 2025. However, as part of an ongoing financial review, we have found that the TamarTag scheme currently costs more to run than it generates, meaning other parts of the business are subsidising it. This is not financially sustainable. 

 

How is Tamar Crossings funded?

Unlike many transport services, we do not receive any regular funding from Government or from either Council. Everything we do is mostly funded through toll income from you, the people using our crossings.  

Our income depends on how many vehicles use the crossings, and the toll and discount levels in place. In recent years, traffic levels have changed due to factors such as: 

  • More people working from home 
  • Increased use of public transport 

At the same time, our costs continue to rise due to: 

  • Inflation 
  • Higher maintenance and safety requirements 
  • The need to invest in infrastructure that is ageing 

In simple terms, if our costs are higher than our income, our reserves start to run out and we are legally required to maintain a prudent minimum reserve since Cornwall and Plymouth Councils (as joint owners) cannot fund a shortfall. If reserves are fully depleted and no action is taken, there is no external funding available to cover the gap. We are at a point where our reserves are forecast to run out by 2028/29. We must take action now. 

 

What are we proposing?

The TamarTag administration fee is currently set at 80p per month, regardless of the number of crossings you make each month. The fee has remained the same since 2014 despite the rising costs described above.  

We are therefore proposing to increase the monthly administration fee to £2.00.
Increasing the administration fee to £2.00 would: 

  • Cover the actual cost of running the scheme 
  • Avoid the immediate need to reduce the TamarTag discount or increase tolls 
  • Help prevent deeper cuts to services or maintenance 

In other words, this option allows us to protect: 

  • The 50% TamarTag discount, and
  • The overall quality and safety of the crossings 

 

How could this affect you?

Here are a number of examples showing how the increase in administration fee could affect you. 

Example 1: 
Person A commutes between Devon and Cornwall three times per week by car using the Tamar Bridge (12 crossings per month).  

  • If they use the TamarTag they are currently spending £18.80 per month. 
  • With the proposed increase in administration fee, this would cost £20 per month. 
  • If they don’t use the TamarTag, it will cost them £36. 


Example 2: 
Person B attends fortnightly appointments at Derriford Hospital travelling by car from Cornwall (2 crossings per month).  

  • If they use the TamarTag they are currently spending £3.80 per month.  
  • With the proposed increase in administration fee, this would cost £5per month.  
  • If they don’t use the TamarTag, it will cost them £6. 


Example 3: 
Person C runs a business from Torpoint and travels in their small van 6 days per week into Plymouth via the Torpoint Ferry (24 crossings per month).  

  • If they use the TamarTag they are currently spending £36.80 per month.  
  • With the proposed increase in administration fee, this would cost £38 per month.  
  • If they don’t use the TamarTag, it will cost them £72. 

What other options have we considered?

Before proposing any changes, we carried out a detailed review of our finances, including an independent audit and a six-month internal “deep dive” into all budgets.  

We looked at: 

  • Reducing spending wherever possible 
  • Finding new ways to generate income 
  • Cutting or changing services 

On the back of the review, we have reduced our budgets and spending and where possible we are generating new income, although opportunities are limited. We are actively seeking funding from Central Government to help manage our maintenance costs, but we are mindful that these costs will continue to grow in the coming years. However, cutting costs further could mean: 

  • Fewer inspections and maintenance 
  • Fewer ferries or toll booths in operation 
  • Lower service standards and longer delays 

 These would lead to higher costs and greater problems in the long term. 

 

Are there any alternative options available?

We identified the administration fee increase as the option that would have the lowest impact on user's costs without sacrificing any quality of service. However there are a few alternatives to increasing the administration fee [info from survey questions- team to advise].

  1. Freeze the fee and increase the toll: We would need to apply to the Department for Transport for permission to do this. Having only recently implemented higher tolls and considering the amount of time taken to request and approve the increase, this is not considered a viable option.
     
  2. Freeze the fee and reduce the discount: We could reduce the discount offered with the TamarTag. The discount is currently set at 50% of the standard crossing fee but we could reduce it (e.g. 40%) instead of increasing the administration fee. Tamar Crossings is responsible for the level of discount offered so would not need to apply to the Department for Transport to make such a change.

  3. Increase the toll in line with inflation: We are considering introducing an annual increase to the Tamar Crossings fee to reflect inflation. We will need to apply to the Department for Transport for permission to do this, so this is not a viable short term solution.

  4. Apply the admin fee to each Tag rather than to each account: Some accounts have multiple tags, but currently only pay one admin fee.

 

What does the toll and administration fee pay for?

This income pays for: 

  • Over 110 staff (30 at the bridge, 75 at the ferry, and 7 split across both) 
  • Operating a service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 
  • Day-to-day operation of the bridge and ferry 
  • Essential inspections, maintenance and safety work 
  • Major improvement projects to keep both crossings safe and reliable 

Any surplus is kept in reserve for major future works, but any shortfall reduces those reserves. 

What have we invested in recently?

Over the past few years, we have carried out significant works to ensure the crossings remain safe and fit for the future, including: 

Tamar Bridge 

  • Major painting, kerb and resurfacing works 
  • Ongoing work on deck bearings and support cables 

Torpoint Ferry 

  • We have completed a major refit cycle for all three vessels and are updating some of the electronic control systems. 
  • These works will extend the vessels working life by around five years. 

We have also: 

  • Upgraded tolling systems and introduced contactless payment 
  • Begun planning for future improvements such as open-road tolling to reduce  
  • Congestion and emissions, and the introduction of a fire suppression system. 

These are essential long-term investments, not optional upgrades. 

 

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to help you understand the financial challenges we face and to give you the opportunity to share your views on the next steps. Our priority will always be to provide: 

  • Safe crossings 
  • Reliable services 
  • Efficient journeys for residents and businesses 

We do not take changes lightly, and we are committed to being open and transparent about why we believe this proposal is necessary.  

consultation timeline

How to get involved

Consultation will run online until 6 April.  

  • Sign up to our online Webinar taking place on Monday 9 March where members of the Tamar Crossings team will explain their proposals and you will have an opportunity to ask questions. The recording of this webinar will be posted on this page following the event, for anyone unable to attend. Use this link to book your place: TamarTag Administration Fee Consultation Webinar Tickets
  • Come to our drop-in consultation event on Thursday 12 March at Tamar Bridge Visitor and Learning Centre from 4pm – 7pm, or at Torpoint Council Chambers, Committee Room on 17 March from 4pm-7pm, where there will be an opportunity to view the proposals and speak to members of the Tamar Crossings team. 
  • Fill in the short online survey to share your views (we encourage anyone who is unable to complete a survey online at home to visit us at a drop in session, where a member of our team will provide you with everything you need to access and complete the survey)

If you feel that you need more information before completing the survey, please get in touch on consultation@tamarcrossings.org.uk or consider attending one of our drop-in sessions or webinars. 

Reference copies of the consultation material are also available to view at the Bridging the Tamar Learning Centre, Torpoint Library and Community Hub, and Saltash Library.

Please contribute to the conversation by completing our short survey linked below, the findings of which will be processed and analysed by an independent agency.

Complete the online survey here

Mythbusters

  1. "Fees are increased just to give bonuses to the higher management and owners"
    All toll income is used solely to operate, maintain and improve the bridge and ferry, as there are no shareholders, dividends or owner bonuses, and the law prevents tolls being used for any other purpose.

  2. "Tamar Crossings do not support vulnerable customers who use the hospital regularly"
    Tamar Crossings supports vulnerable customers through Mobility Passes, which provide up to 100 free crossings per year for people who rely on the bridge and ferry for essential journeys such as healthcare.

  3. "We were promised the tolls would be free once the bridge had been paid for"
    There was never a promise that tolls would end, as the Tamar Bridge Act 1957 includes no time limit on tolling and allows income to be used for ongoing operation and maintenance.

  4. "The ferry and bridge should be separated; the bridge subsidises the ferry"
    The law requires the bridge and ferry to operate as a single system, and elected councillors have repeatedly agreed that a unified approach and pricing structure best serves cross-river travel.
     
  5. "The decarbonisation of the ferry project is being funded by tolls"
    The ferry decarbonisation feasibility study is funded entirely by external grants, not toll income, and no decision has been made to implement any specific low-carbon solution.

  6. "They should just get rid of the toll booths and have ANPR then there would be no costs"
    ANPR is something we are actively developing a business case for. However removing toll booths and introducing ANPR would not eliminate costs, as evidence from other crossings shows that ANPR systems are often more expensive to install and operate.

  7. "The bridge and ferry are privately owned by a foreign company"
    The bridge and ferry are publicly owned by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council, not a private or foreign company, and no profits are paid to owners.

  8. "The Learning Centre costs £300,000 per year to run and doesn’t deliver any value"
    The Learning Centre costs around £160,000 per year, not £300,000, and delivers clear community value through affordable education, skills development, career awareness and the preservation of the crossings’ history.

Associated documents

Please find below a digital copy of the leaflet available at our drop-in sessions and at local libraries and town halls.

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