MERSEY Tunnel users are being urged to apply for a Fast Tag to take advantage of a toll reduction they will see from next week.

Car drivers with a Fast Tag already benefit from a 30 pence reduction on the cash toll and this will increase to a 50 pence discount from Friday, April 1.

It means they would pay £1.20 a trip as against the cash toll of £1.70.

Fast Tags are available to everyone, not just regular travellers, and are issued free of charge.

They offer 'stored value' meaning that customers' money stays in their Fast Tag account until it is used, no matter how long that is.

The cash tolls for all vehicles will remain frozen for 2016/17 -- a decision agreed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) in February following recommendations by a task group set up at the request of the CA to review the tunnel tolls.

It was also approved that all liveried emergency services vehicles, not just those on emergency call outs, can travel free through the Mersey tunnels from April and furthermore there will now be free travel on Christmas Day for all tunnel users.

Cllr Phil Davies, leader of Wirral Council, said: "We have made good on our pledge to reduce Tunnel Tolls.

"Wirral residents who use the Fast Tag option for commuting to work can save a fiver a week, and even casual tunnel users could save a pound per round trip by switching to the Fast Tag option."

Cllr Liam Robinson, chair of Merseytravel, said: "The savings from the Fast Tag are too good not to take advantage of and they are available for everyone.

"From April, a car driver making two trips each weekday through the tunnel will now save £5 per week compared with paying the cash toll.

"Discounts for Fast Tags apply to all vehicle classes, so drivers of class-four heavy goods vehicles such as articulated lorries will now be saving £2 each time they travel.

"This is about doing what we can as a City Region to help regular and local users."