The UK’s cost of living crisis has significantly impacted drivers, with surging fuel prices straining household budgets and increasing the expense of commuting.
Drivers are facing yet another blow with the escalating costs of toll roads. Recent findings from car leasing company Hippo Leasing show that commuters are shelling out an additional £2,462 per year on toll road fees for their daily work commute than in 2020.
The research delved into toll road prices across the UK from 2020 to 2024, highlighting notable increases. Using this data, Hippo Leasing calculated the costs for commuters driving through toll roads twice daily, five days a week, comparing expenses from 2020 to the current period and translating them into weekly, monthly, and yearly costs.
To help Hippo Leasing has shared four expert tips for toll drivers to save money on their commute.
Tom Preston, CEO and Founder of Hippo Leasing comments “Our analysis reveals that ten out of the nineteen toll roads in the UK have raised their prices since 2020.
On average, commuters now face an additional expense of £129.60 per year to access UK toll roads compared to 2020. The total yearly price increase across all tolls to drivers who use them twice daily, five days a week is £2,462.
“While the M6 toll experienced the most substantial individual price hike at £2.20 per use, soaring from £6.70 per use in 2020 to £8.90 per use in 2024, the cumulative impact on commuters is staggering. For those using it twice daily, five days a week, the toll adds up to a significant annual burden of £1,056, exacerbating the strain of the cost of living crisis.
The runner-up for the most significant toll road price surge since 2020 is Warburton Bridge in Greater Manchester, from 12p in 2020 to £1.00 in 2024. This means that commuters, who previously paid £57.60 annually to cross the toll twice daily, five days a week in 2020, now face a staggering £422.40 increase, with yearly costs soaring to £480.00.
Claiming the third spot for the most notable toll price escalation in the UK, the Tyne Tunnels in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, have seen their fees surge from £1.60 in 2020 to £2.20 presently. This translates to an annual increase of £288.00 for commuters, resulting in a total yearly expense of £1,056 for those traversing the tunnels twice daily, five days a week.
The M6 toll in the West Midlands not only boasts the largest price hike since 2020 but also holds the title of the UK’s priciest toll, commanding £8.90 per passage—a hefty £6.30 more than the second-costliest, Tamar Bridge in Plymouth.
Following closely as the third most expensive toll in the UK is Dartford Crossing in Dartford, Essex, where drivers shell out £2.50 per use, though prices haven’t increased since 2020.
In fourth position, the Tyne Tunnels toll roads in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, charge £2.20 per passage, marking a 60p increase since 2020. Tied for fifth place are the Mersey Tunnels, with both the Queensway and Kingsway tunnels setting commuters back £2.10 per crossing—an uptick of 30p since 2020.
The research uncovered that on average drivers pay £1.63 per use of toll roads in the UK, with an average of 29p price increase per toll since 2020.
