The Tyne Tunnel would be suffering from “significant delays” if bosses had not pressed ahead with its controversial new cashless toll system.
It was claimed on Thursday that a surge in traffic levels at the crossing, which is busier than it has been for seven years, would be causing severe tailbacks if the old toll barriers were still in place. They were removed last November in favour of a new ‘free flow’ scheme designed to cut queuing and pollution, with drivers now having to pay either online, with a pre-paid account, over the phone, or in shops with PayPoint counters.
But the new ‘Tyne Pass’ project has proved unpopular with many motorists, with multiple problems with the payment system being reported – including fines being wrongly issued to people living hundreds of miles away. The switchover has been branded an “absolute disaster” and more than 20,000 people have signed one petition calling for major changes from tunnel operator TT2.
