MERSEYFLOW BRIDGE CROSSINGS
Caura’s the quickest way to pay Merseyflow charges. Download the app and pay to cross both bridges in a tap.
Sort Merseyflow charges with Caura
The Silver Jubilee and Mersey Gateway bridges get you from A to B, swiftly. But don’t forget to pay. Both crossings have a toll system in full swing.
Use Caura to pay your Merseyflow charges with zero effort. Download the app and pay before you even get in the car to set off. Keep things simple, optimise your car admin.
What are the Merseyflow charges?
Head to Cheshire and you’ll find two majestic bridges sitting side by side. The original Silver Jubilee Bridge, and the newer Mersey Gateway. Both go over two waterways – the Mersey River and the Manchester Ship canal. An incredible 1.4 miles in total. Take note, cyclists and pedestrians are only allowed to use the Silver Jubilee crossing.
All you need to know
The Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges are located between Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire, England.
Merseyflow is the name of the company that operates the tolls. And the great news is that you no longer need to stop and pay the toll to drive over. Go through without stopping and pay the charge with Caura, it's the quickest way to pay. No more waiting in queues and fumbling for pocket change.
Merseyflow charging times
Both bridges are open 365 days a year and charges are in effect 24/7.
How much to use the Merseyflow crossings?
The fee is the same for both bridges. There’s no return, you pay every time you cross. The charges differ depending on what vehicle you drive:
- Motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians: free
- Cars and small vans: £2
- Large vans and lorries: £6
- Large lorries or buses: £8
Fines for Merseyflow
If you don’t pay the toll charge by midnight the day after you use either bridge – or if you forget to pay completely – the fixed Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is £40.
Unpaid penalty fines are registered as civil debt and if left unpaid will lead to enforcement action from the council.
If you breakdown on the bridge, your vehicle must be recovered by Merseyflow. No roadside repairs, refuelling, or tyre changing is allowed unless by special permission. Your vehicle gets taken to a specific location, where it will be impounded until the recovery fees are paid. These are a minimum of £150 for small vehicles.
Merseyflow exemptions and discounts
There are a few discounts and exemptions for Merseyflow charges:
- Hatton residents only have to pay a £10 administration fee every year, allowing them to make unlimited personal trips at no further fee
- If you have a blue badge, you only have to pay a one-off £5 fee to make unlimited trips
- There are pre-pay monthly, ‘unlimited travel’ plans where you get a discount of 5 or 10%
- People with exemptions are given an electronic tag to stick inside their car windscreen, which can be detected by sensors on the bridges, letting them off paying for the toll. Watch out, these stickers don’t transfer between vehicles
Pay your clean air charges in seconds
How do I know if I need to pay the Merseyflow charge?
The bridges are iconic and hard to miss, and the crossing routes are clearly sign-posted. There are no payment barriers or booths, so you'll need to be aware that you've driven over either bridge and then remember to pay the charge.
Pay the Merseyflow charges with Caura
Download the app, find Merseyflow charges under ‘Roads and Tolls’ and pay in seconds. It’s that easy. Sort it before you even get in the car. The same payment can cover a single or return journey over each bridge, nice and simple.
Caura is the only app you need
Welcome to everything car. All in one place. Caura doesn’t just help you sort tolls, but insurance, vehicle tax, and a whole lot more. Anything car admin – we’re on it. Save time on car admin and spend it doing the things you really love.
One app. Two taps. Caura sorts it all, pronto.
Questions?
Find answers to common questions here. If you can't find what you're looking for then email us on support@caura.com and we'll get back to you.
My account
Do I have to sign up to access Caura?
Yes. To enjoy the benefits of Caura, like timely reminders for tax and insurance, and ultrafast city charge and toll payments, you’ll need to create an account. This is so we can let you know about important expiry dates and booking details.
Can I change the email address I use for Caura?
You can’t currently change your email address on Caura (but we are working on it). As a workaround, you can log out of your current account and sign up with a new email address. We won’t be able to transfer the history over.
What happens if I forget my account credentials?
Easily done. Just tap ‘Forgot Password’ on the Log In screen - we’ll send you a password reset link via your registered email address. If you used your Google or Apple profile details (instead of an email address) to create your account, you’ll need to continue to use this sign-in method.
My account has been suspended, why?
Your account may be suspended as a precaution if we see evidence of fraud or a violation of our terms of service. Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can investigate this with you.
How do I delete my account?
Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can take care of that for you. Please feel free to let us know why you want to leave, as we’re always working to improve Caura for drivers like you.
Managing vehicles
How do I add or remove vehicles from my account?
To add a vehicle, simply swipe to the left on your current vehicle or tap the ‘+’ icon on the Home screen. To remove a vehicle, tap and hold on the vehicle image.
My vehicle cannot be found when I add my number plate, why not?
All vehicles registered with the DVLA should show on Caura. Please make sure you are entering a valid number plate recognised by the DVLA. If the problem persists please email support@caura.com.
Why can’t I see my updated vehicle details (e.g. tax, MOT) on Caura?
If you have made the update on Caura (e.g. paid for tax on Caura), it should update automatically within a few days. If it doesn't, you can pull down the image of your vehicle from the Home screen, which will refresh the app.
Managing payment methods
How do I add or remove a payment method?
You can add, remove and set your default payment method via the Payment Methods screen, accessed via the Account tab. To remove a payment method, swipe it to the left. To set a payment method as the default option, swipe it to the right.
What if I need to change my AutoPay payment method?
Go to your AutoPay account in-app (by going to the City Charges screen). From your AutoPay account, tap the current payment method selected. You can then choose to change your payment method tied to your AutoPay, either select an existing payment method or add a new card to Caura.
Roads & Tolls
Which tolls can I pay for on Caura?
Currently, you can quickly and easily pay for the following tolls and charges in two taps on Caura:
- Dart Charge (Dartford Crossing)
- Tyne Tunnels
- Merseyflow charges (Mersey Gateway or Silver Jubilee Bridge)
You can find out more about tolls and charges here.
Does Caura charge an additional fee?
Caura charges no additional fee to pay toll charges, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider.
Do all vehicles have to pay these tolls?
For some tolls, certain types of vehicles may face different charges or be exempt from paying any charge altogether. For example, motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are all exempt from the Dart Charge.
Currently on Caura, we only show the Roads & Tolls charges to select vehicles that have to pay a given rate.
How do I know if I have to pay a toll?
All of the Roads & Tolls on Caura use ANPR to automatically detect when your vehicle has driven through the charging zone. If your vehicle is liable you will have to pay for each time you make a trip through the toll area. Look out for signs to signal when you’re entering the toll zone.
For some tolls, certain types of vehicles may face different charges or be exempt from paying any charge altogether. For example, motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are all exempt from the Dart Charge. You can learn more about each charge and the price vehicles have to pay here.
Can I pay for tolls in advance?
Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.
What happens if I pay for the wrong toll or wrong day by mistake?
If you’ve paid for the wrong charge, or the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund.
Do I have to make multiple bookings for multiple trips in the same day?
Yes - you have to pay for each time you make a trip through a toll area.
For example, if you drive both there and back on your journey across the Tyne Tunnels, then you will need to make two payments for the two separate trips through the tunnels.
Don’t worry, making multiple payments can be done in just one tap on Caura.
Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?
You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.
Merseyflow
What are the Merseyflow crossings?
These are two bridges in Cheshire, the original Silver Jubilee Bridge and the newer Mersey Gateway. Both go over two waterways – the Mersey River and the Manchester Ship canal. You’ll need to pay a charge to cross these two bridges. You can read more about the charges here.
What times do the Merseyflow charges apply?
Charges apply all day, every day. You need to pay whenever you cross the Merseyflow bridges.
How much is the Merseyflow charge?
Each way charges as follows:
- £2 for cars and small vans
- £6 for large vans and lorries
- £8 for large lorries and buses
- Motorbikes and mopeds cross for free
How do I pay for the Merseyflow charges?
Caura is the fastest way to pay, it takes a second via the app.
Are there any discounts or exemptions?
Details as follows:
- Hatton residents only have to pay a £10 administration fee every year, allowing them to make unlimited personal trips at no further fee
- If you have a blue badge, you only have to pay a one-off £5 fee to make unlimited trips
- There are pre-pay monthly, ‘unlimited travel ’plans where you get a discount of 5 or 10%
People with exemptions are given an electronic tag to stick inside their car windscreen, which can be detected by sensors on the bridges, letting them off paying for the toll. These tags don’t transfer between vehicles.
Will I get fined if I don’t pay to cross the Merseyflow?
If you forget to pay by midnight the day after you drive over either bridge, you’ll face a fine of up to £40.
Can I still pay in cash for the crossing?
No, cash payments have stopped being accepted. Caura is the quickest way to pay - its just two taps!
Do I have to make multiple bookings for multiple trips in the same day?
Yes - you have to pay for each time you drive over the crossing. You can pay for a return journey with one single transaction on Caura.
Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?
You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.