Tyne Tunnel goes cashless – how it works, how to pay the toll and how to top-up

The toll booths are closed as Tyne Pass launches, it means motorists now drive straight through the Tyne Tunnel without having to stop at barriers

Drivers using the Tyne Tunnels can no longer use cash to pay the toll fare.

The tunnels have switched to a cashless ‘open road tolling’ system called ‘Tyne Pass’ which means motorists drive straight through the tunnels without stopping at a toll booth to pay the £1.90 fare for cars, small vans and small buses.

Motorists must still pay a fare to use the Tyne Tunnel. An Automatic Number Plate Recognition system will log their number plate. But Tunnel users can no longer pay at the toll plaza. Instead, they have several payment options. They can use a pre-paid top-up account or pay their fare after their journey, either online, over the phone or at a PayPoint till, which are found in shops around the country.

How to pay to use the Tyne Tunnel

Motorists using the Tyne Tunnel have several payment options. They can choose to use a prepaid account, which will be deducted from automatically after passing through the tunnels, or they can pay later, either online, over the phone or at a PayPoint till in retailers across the country.

TT2 says: “Open Road Tolling means there will no longer be a need to stop at a toll plaza; we will use an advanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system to detect your Vehicle Registration Number and we’ll either deduct the toll from your account or you can pay by midnight the day after your journey on our website, via our automated top-up line or at a PayPoint by cash.”

How does the Tyne Tunnel’s new system work?

Before Monday November 8, motorists using the Tyne Tunnel had to stop at a toll booth before they could re-enter the A19 after passing through the tunnels. They could either pay the toll immediately, using cash, or choose to pay later.

But as of November 8, motorists are no longer required to stop at the toll plaza when using the tunnel between Jarrow, South Tyneside and Howdon, North Tyneside. Instead, they now have drive straight through the tunnel and back onto the main road without stopping. The idea behind the Tyne Pass open road tolling system is to speed up Tyne Tunnel journeys, which owner T2 says will improve journey times and cut emissions.

But the new system doesn’t mean the tunnel is free to use for car, van, lorry and bus drivers. They will still have to pay, and their number plates will be logged by a camera system.

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This blog was made by Simon Schofield