Southampton's Itchen Bridge toll set to go up

The bridge, which links Woolston to Southampton city centre, opened on 1 June 1977

The cost of crossing Southampton's Itchen Bridge could go up.

Vans, cars and 4x4 drivers could see fees increase from £0.80 to £1 during peak times, and from £0.70 to £0.80 during off-peak periods.

The concession for electric vehicles could also be removed.

Southampton City Council has put the proposals forward, saying the "challenging decision" has been taken as a result of increased operating costs and rising inflation.

A public consultation is now under way and will close on 6 January.

Under the new plans, the toll paid by residents using the Southampton Resident's Smart Cities Card will instead remain frozen at £0.40 during peak time and £0.30 during off-peak periods.

The Itchen Bridge was opened in 1977 and the toll was introduced to control traffic flows and secure the financial position of the bridge.

Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for transport, said a toll increase was required to ensure that traffic congestion in the Woolston area continued to be managed and to provide funding for further maintenance.

In a statement the city council said the concession for electric vehicles was put in place on a temporary basis to promote their use.

"As this technology becomes more widely used, crossings of the Itchen Bridge by electric vehicles need to be managed in the same way as other vehicles in order to alleviate congestion along the associated routes," the council added.