Anti-Mersey Tunnel tolls campaigners have warned motorists could face a further 20p hike in charges next year if they continue to adopt a “fatalistic” approach to increased charges.

Toll charges went up from £1.40 to £1.50 on Sunday.

But only about a dozen people, including Wirral West MP Esther McVey, turned up for a protest demonstration at the Oakdale Road bridge in Seacombe.

Drivers heading for the Kingsway Tunnel waved and sounded their horns in support.

Mersey Tunnel Users Association spokesman John McGoldrick conceded the turn-out had been disappointing.

And he warned: “If drivers continue to sit back and take a fatalistic approach to the situation then Merseytravel can come back next April using their formula based on the retail price index and slap on a further 20p increase.

“That is what could happen unless people do something now. "They need to write to the newspapers; contact their councillors and MPs to make their views known.”

Mr McGoldrick claimed MTUA's eight-year campaign had saved hundreds of pounds for tunnel-users.

He said: “Without our campaign there would have been bigger and more frequent toll increases. The average driver on Wirral would have saved between £200 and £300.”

He also claimed many people still did not realise thr tunnels were making a large profit - all councils on Merseyside recently sent out a leaflet with tax bills which gave the impression tolls were only just sufficient to cover running costs.

He estimated the tunnels made an annual profit of about £6m.

During the demonstration, protestors saw a mammoth queue build up in the area around the Wallasey Tunnel because Merseytravel had closed down one of the two tubes, leaving only one lane open in each direction.

Mr Mcgoldrick fumed: "Merseytravel seem to have no regard for drivers.

"No doubt they will say that all these closures - including those on weekdays - are for 'essential" maintenance'.

"There must be no other road - tolled or untolled - which is so frequently subject to lane closures and queues.

"Management of the tunnels should be taken away from Merseytravel and put in the hands of an organisation that does not view drivers as anything other than a cash cow."