Merseytravel has revealed when the Mersey Tunnels will offer contactless payment in all lanes.
The announcement comes after years of trials and speculation, with drivers currently having to use the attended lanes at both the Birkenhead and Wallasey tunnels to pay by debit or credit card.
But on Wednesday, Merseytravel said despite there not yet being an exact date for the roll-out, it's expected contactless payment in the 'auto' lanes "should be in place at the end of this month".
A more specific date for the initiative at the Queensway and Kingsway tunnels, which connect Wirral with Liverpool, will be announced "soon", the spokesman added.
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The news follows trials at the tunnels last year and an expected roll-out date, but that was hampered by what the transport body described as "technical problems".
Contactless payment in the Mersey Tunnels: A timeline
August 2016: It's revealed debit card payments can be used in the Mersey Tunnels - but Merseytravel say only as a "last resort".
September 2017: It's announced technology to allow contactless card payments will be installed in all lanes across both Birkenhead and Wallasey tunnels from early 2018.
A £3.1m makeover to the booths will also see coin analysers and the processes carried out in attended lanes altered.
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August 2018: Merseytravel committee documents reveal trial lanes for in-lane contactless payments should be in operation by the middle of August before a full roll-out in September.
Early September 2018: A test lane for contactless in-lane payments is temporarily implemented, with no news on the full roll-out.
October 2018: With the planned September full roll-out not having taken place, Merseytravel announce technical problems have hampered tests.
It's revealed no date can be confirmed "without a full technical solution".
November 2018: Further contactless card payment trials in November hailed as a "major success" - but there is STILL no date for when the service will be fully rolled out.
April 2019: Merseytravel tells the ECHO in-lane contactless payments will begin by the "end of the month".
