MERSEY Gateway bosses have defended sending out bailiffs to recover unpaid £2 toll fees as a ‘last resort’ after a Merseyside charity called on them to scrap this enforcement method.

They have also insisted it will be ‘many years’ before Halton Council, the charging authority, will make money from the bridge, because of the huge costs involved in running it.

In a Mersey Gateway Project report, presented at the local authority’s cabinet meeting on Thursday, transport officers described the the first 15 months of the bridge’s operation as  ‘very positive in both operational and financial terms’.

That is despite some high profile cases which have questioned the fairness of a system that has seen over a million drivers fined and over a thousand visited by bailiffs for failing to pay those fines.

The  report updating cabinet members on the Mersey Gateway project said: “There has been significant coverage within the written media and on social media regarding the use of enforcement agents to collect debts arising from Mersey Gateway.

“It must be emphasised that the use of enforcement agents is always a last resort. When issues are raised by members of the public and elected representatives regarding the use of enforcement agents, they are investigated and appropriate action taken.”

The £600m bridge has no toll booths, meaning people must remember to pay the £2-each-way charge online or in a shop within 24 hours of making their journey.

Drivers who forget to pay the toll face a £20 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), but this can soar to hundreds if not paid on time, until the fee is eventually handed over to an enforcement company to collect.

Last  month, Merseyside charity The Big Help Project said the complexity of the system was driving low income families to food banks because unpaid £2 toll fees were spiralling into thousands of pounds worth of debt.

Defending their clients, they said many people don’t willingly forget to pay the toll, but find the system confusing, difficult to keep up with or don’t have access to internet or phone to pay straight away.

The charity – which runs a debt advice service and food bank – called on the council to stop the use of bailiffs immediately.

But Halton council ended any hopes of this at the meeting, as they noted a report which said the enforcement system was working ‘effectively’ and gave drivers plenty of chances to resolve unpaid fees before bailiffs arrive.

The board heard less than 0.5 per cent of users don’t pay for the bridge, an ‘unusually low number’ which demonstrates the majority of the public accept they have to pay and do pay.

And Councillor Stan Hill, who is cabinet member for transport, dispelled any notion that the council is making money as a result of tolls or fines – revealing that the government will eventually make a profit out of this before them.

He said: “The project still requires significant subsidiary funding from the Department for Transport. It will therefore be many many years before the project generates any direct financial benefit for the council, and even at that stage the Department for Transport will receive 85 per cent of any surplus revenue.”

All revenue from tolls and PCNs is used to re-pay the £1.86bn it has cost to build and maintain the bridge over the next 30 years.

While Thursday’s report indicated there were no plans to make significant changes to the current system, it did acknowledge vulnerable individuals were being caught out by it in some cases.

The council said they will continue to seek improvements on how the project is delivered.

The report said: “Notwithstanding the above the council do recognise that there are some vulnerable individuals including those with mental health issues or special circumstances and it is important to the council and the tolling contractor (Emovis) that the enforcement agents engaged by them (Marston Holdings) are able to effectively recognise and respond to such situations in an appropriate manner.

“Marston’s ethical practice is delivered and assured through an Ethical Governance Framework and includes three key features, Independent Ethical Governance Audits, Ethics Committee and the Independent Advisory Group.

“The council and all parties associated with the project are fully aware of their obligations in respect of these matters and recognise the importance of following the correct processes and procedures. As a result, we will strive to seek improvement in all aspects of performance through continuous review and feedback.”