Southampton's Itchen Bridge toll goes up by 20p

The bridge, which is crossed about seven million times a year, opened on 1 June 1977

The cost of crossing Southampton's Itchen Bridge is going up by 20p per journey.

Drivers of cars, small vans and small 4x4s, who are not residents of Southampton, will have to pay 70p, rising to 80p during peak times.

Southampton residents using a SmartCities card will be exempt from the rise.

The toll increase on the bridge, which links Woolston to Southampton city centre, comes in on 17 June.

Southampton councillor Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member for transport and place, said: "This is not a decision we took lightly but it's an important part of our plans to manage congestion, emissions and ensure the ongoing maintenance costs of the bridge are met in light of reductions in government funding to the council."

Southampton City Council said the toll increase was expected to bring in £510,000 extra revenue each year.

This decision to increase the toll for non-residents was agreed at the council's budget-setting meeting in February.

Last year, charges to cross the bridge were scrapped for drivers of fully-electric cars, to encourage the use of electric vehicles.

Southampton City Council said about £32,000 was expected to be lost in tolls in the first year as electric vehicles currently represent about 1% of road traffic.