TECHNICAL problems at the Mersey Tunnels mean there is STILL no date for when drivers will be able use contactless payments.

It had been hoped the full launch of contactless payments would be launched at some point in September across both the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels, but it was revealed on Tuesday no date can be confirmed 'without a full technical solution to the problems.'

It comes as a date for the removal of the Severn bridges tolls is revealed, with news of the problems on Merseyside far from the 'early Christmas present' set to hit communities in the south west when those charges are scrapped on December 17.

On Tuesday, a Merseytravel spokeswoman said: “Our test lane in contactless payment was launched, as planned, early September 2018.

“However, during our tests we have identified a number of issues which we are just resolving before confirming a go live date. The use of a test lane is designed exactly for this purpose to avoid inconvenience for our customers.

“Without a full technical solution to the problems identified, we would not want to confirm an exact date at this stage but we are working with our payment providers on a daily basis to resolve these issues as soon as possible.”

The news is far from what was initially hoped – in Liverpool Combined Authority Transport Committee reports considered in August, it said a trial lane would be in operation at the tunnels by the middle of that month.

The document said it was then hoped the full launch would come in the second week of September across both Kingsway and Queensway tunnels, but said that was 'still subject to further rigorous testing.'

But it will mean an even longer wait for those wanting to pay contactless without having to go through a manned booth at the tunnels connecting Wirral and Liverpool.

The £3.1 million scheme to improve the tolls system was announced in September last year, with Merseytravel saying it would make it easier to collect coins that are not accepted, speeding up journeys through the tunnels.