Technical summary of exempt vehicles

This page details what types of vehicles are classed as exempt from tolls across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the Silver Jubilee Bridge.

The details were first set out under the Transport and Works, England Transport, England, The River Mersey (Mersey Gateway Bridge) Order 2011.

In order to qualify as exempt, an exempt account must be applied for. Please call 01928 878 878 or email fleet@merseyflow.co.uk to apply for an exempt account, a £5 fee per vehicle is applicable.

Schedule 2, Part 2, Paragraph 3 states the following:

Vehicles falling within the following descriptions of motor vehicles shall be eligible to be entered upon the exemptions register:

  1. a police vehicle, identifiable as such by writing or markings on it or otherwise by its appearance, or being the property of the Service Authority for the Serious Organised Crime Agency or notified to the Council by reference to its registration mark;
  2. a fire engine as defined by paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994(1);
  3. a vehicle which is kept by a fire authority as defined by paragraph 5 of that Schedule;
  4. an ambulance as defined by paragraph 6(2) or a vehicle falling within paragraph 7 of that Schedule and shall also include vehicles used for the transport of blood, plasma or human organs;
  5. An emergency response vehicle being the responsibility of Her Majesty’s Coastguard, notified to the Council by reference to its registration mark;
  6. a vehicle being used for the transport of a person who has a disabled person’s badge and which displays a current disabled person’s badge issued under
    1. section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (b) or
    2. section 14 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1970 (c) or
  7. an omnibus being used for local service as defined by section 2 of the Transport Act 1985 in respect of crossing the Silver Jubilee Bridge (d); or
  8. an agricultural tractor as defined by paragraph 20B of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Excise Registration Act 1994 in respect of crossing the Silver Jubilee Bridge.

Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

Schedule 2

4(1)A fire engine is an exempt vehicle.
(2)In sub-paragraph (1) “fire engine” means a vehicle which:

(a) is constructed or adapted for use for the purpose of fire fighting or salvage (or both), and

6(1)An ambulance is an exempt vehicle.
(2)In sub-paragraph (1) “ambulance” means a vehicle which:

a) is constructed or adapted for, and used for no purpose other than, the carriage of sick, injured or disabled people to or from welfare centres or places where medical or dental treatment is given, and
b) is readily identifiable as a vehicle used for the carriage of such people by being marked “Ambulance” on both sides.

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