CAMPAIGNERS have repeated calls for Mersey Gateway tolls to be scrapped as figures reveal the number of fines received by motorists using the bridge has fallen.

Data from operator Merseyflow shows that the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued between April and June fell by 40,000 compared to the same period last year.

Merseyflow say the number equates to a 20% year-on-year drop in fines issued to people who hadn't paid for crossing by midnight the day after their journey.

It comes at a time when traffic levels showed a year-on-year increase of 100,000, with the highest ever level of average weekday traffic recorded last month.

The data shows 'on time' payment rate for journeys over the new toll bridge linking Runcorn and Widnes has remained at a high of 97%.

The number of crossings over the bridge has increased by 100,000 for the same time period

Almost six million journeys were made across the bridge during the April/May/June period

Neil Conway, Merseyflow's chief executive, said: "I am delighted to see that we have issued 40,000 less PCNs than we did for the same period last year.

"A 20% reduction in PCN’s issued demonstrates real progress, particularly when crossings increased by 100,000 for the same time period.

"That of course means more people are paying on time, and the work we do to encourage people to register with us is working.

"Registering with us is the best way to avoid a PCN – and will make paying for a journey as simple as possible."

Mike Bennett, managing director of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, said: "It's great to see more people using the Mersey Gateway Bridge and less people getting PCNs.

"We would much rather everyone paid on time or registered with Merseyflow.

"In an ideal world, we don't want to issue any PCNs, so it is very positive to see this 20% year-on-year reduction."

Stepping up the campaign to see the tolls abolished, John McGoldrick, from Scrap Mersey Tolls, said: "The public are continuing to be misled about the Mersey Gateway bridge.

"They boast that the number of fines has reduced by 20%.

"What they do not make clear is that they issued 169 thousand fines in the last quarter.

"That means that there will be 1,800 unwelcome letters being received - every day.

"To make matters worse we believe that the recovery procedures and the use of the Traffic Enforcement Centre courts by Merseyflow are unlawful.

"So far all drivers who have appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal have won their cases.

"The public are also being misled by claims that traffic is "at its highest ever level'.

"The real facts are that the traffic using the new bridge is less than the traffic that used the old Silver Jubilee bridge.

"Many drivers have no practical alternative to using the new bridge, but many are still diverting to other crossings and adding to traffic and congestion there.

"The fall in traffic would have been even greater if the Government had not agreed to, in effect, pay the tolls for the 40% of bridge users who live in Halton.

"How can it be fair that two out of every five cars going over the bridge do not pay, yet the other three out of five can be paying up to £1,000 a year to use a crossing that used to be free for everyone?"