Clifton Suspension Bridge has announced it will be permanently suspending cash payments to go card only this summer. The toll will remain at £1 which can only be paid by debit or credit card, bridge card or by Samsung, Google or Apple Pay from July 2023.
The trust that has maintained the bridge for 160 years said there has been a reduction in cash payments since the Covid pandemic. In 2022, almost 90 per cent of bridge users paid the toll using either contactless or a bridge card, with just over 10 per cent of bridge users paying by cash.
Other reasons cited by Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust included the end of the current tolling contract, reduced support for the maintenance of coin baskets and the phasing out of coin sorters also led to the decision to go card only.
Read more: A look back at the history of Bristol's buses over the decades
"New toll machines will be installed on the bridge from July 2023. They will be faster and more efficient - but they won't take cash," the trust said on Twitter.
Trish Johnson, Bridge Master, said: “Bridge users are increasingly preferring to pay by card. It’s quicker for the driver, and if using a bridge card, saves them money. The change to card only will also make our processes more efficient by removing cash and reducing the amount of downtime for maintenance of what is now outdated machinery."
The toll is the sole source of income used to maintain the structure in perpetuity. In February 2022, Clifton Suspension Bridge was revealed as one of the highest money-making toll booths in Britain, raising £2 million during a 12-month period.
Mrs Johnson added: “Every year, over 2.5 million cars and motorbikes cross Clifton Suspension Bridge and some of these use the bridge every day. Therefore, it is important that we invest in the bridge to make it is an easy and efficient way to cross the River Avon and maintain it as a key part of the Bristol transport network.
The trust has said it will soon be required to carry out a full repaint of the chains and parapets. Proposals for a new, sustainable lighting system are currently being considered by Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council.
Up next:
