The Dunham Bridge (Revision of Tolls) Order 2026

Published: Thu 16th Jul 26

This Order authorizes the Dunham Bridge Company to increase the maximum tolls charged for vehicles using the Dunham Bridge starting 1 August 2026.

It establishes a new price schedule based on vehicle type, carrying capacity, and wheel count, while maintaining a specific discount for users of a pre-paid card scheme until July 2028.

The Order applies to all motorists crossing the bridge and revokes the previous tolling order from 2023.

Arguments For

The Dunham Bridge Company submitted an application for the revision of tolls, as noted in the explanatory memorandum.
The order seeks to update the maximum permitted charges for various vehicle classes including cars, vans, coaches, and agricultural machinery.
The legislation provides a discounted rate for car and small van drivers who use a pre-paid card scheme, valid until at least July 2028.
The order exercises powers under the Transport Charges &c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1954 to ensure the bridge's tolling regime remains current.

Arguments Against

Local commuters and businesses may raise concerns regarding the increased cost of crossing the bridge, particularly for heavy goods vehicles and agricultural machinery.
The use of a carrying capacity threshold (509kg/10cwt) to distinguish between light and heavy vans may create complexity for drivers in identifying their specific toll category.
Residents without access to the pre-paid card scheme will be subject to a higher standard toll of 58p compared to the 38p discounted rate.

This Order may be cited as the Dunham Bridge (Revision of Tolls) Order 2026 and shall come into force on 1st August 2026.

This section establishes the official name of the legislation and sets the commencement date as 1 August 2026.

From this date, the new toll limits become legally applicable.

The Company may demand, take and recover for use of the bridge tolls not exceeding those set out in the Schedule to this Order in lieu of the tolls which are specified in Schedule 2 of the Dunham Bridge (Amendment) Act 1994.

This provision grants the Dunham Bridge Company the legal authority to collect fees from bridge users up to the maximum amounts listed in the Schedule.

These new limits replace the previous rates established by the 1994 Act.

In this Order- (a) 'the bridge' means the Dunham Bridge as defined in section 2(1) of the Dunham Bridge (Amendment) Act 1994; (b) 'the company' means the Dunham Bridge Company.

This section defines the key terms used in the order to ensure precise legal application.

It specifies that 'the bridge' and 'the company' refer to the specific infrastructure and entity identified in the Dunham Bridge (Amendment) Act 1994.

The Dunham Bridge (Revision of Tolls) Order 2023 is revoked.

This provision cancels the previous 2023 order that governed toll prices.

By revoking the prior instrument, the 2026 order becomes the sole authority for current toll limits.

SCHEDULE

Article 2

| Vehicle | Number of Wheels | Maximum Permitted Toll Charge (Excluding VAT) | |---|---|---| | Motor car, Van with carrying capacity under 509kg (10cwt) or Minibuses (up to 16 passengers) using discounted pre-paid card scheme until 31st July 2028 | | 38p | | Motor car, Van with carrying capacity under 509kg (10cwt) or minibus up to 16 passengers not using discounted pre-paid card scheme | | 58p | | Lorry, Van, Motor Caravan with carrying capacity over 509kg (10cwt) or Coach | 4 wheels | £1.25p | | Lorry, Van, Motor Caravan with carrying capacity over 509kg (10cwt) or Coach + trailer | 4 wheels + Trailer | £1.25p | | Motor Car, Van with carrying capacity under 509kg (10cwt) or minibus up to 16 passengers + trailer | | £1.25p | | Agricultural vehicles | 4 wheels or more | £1.67 | | Lorry, Van with carrying capacity over 509kg (10cwt) or Coach | 6 wheels or more | £3.33p | | Any other vehicle using the Bridge and not specifically identified in the above Classes of Vehicles shall be charged a toll by reference to the vehicle's carrying capacity and the number of wheels | | The toll charged for the vehicle shall not exceed the toll specified above with the same carrying capacity and number of wheels. |

The Schedule lists the maximum VAT-exclusive fees the company can charge for different classes of vehicles.

It introduces a two-tier system for light vehicles based on the use of a pre-paid card and sets significantly higher rates for heavy goods vehicles, coaches, and agricultural machinery based on their wheel count.

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