A resident of Runcorn, England, received 138 traffic fines on the same day, totaling more than £20,000, corresponding to around 23,000 euros, for allegedly repeatedly crossing the Mersey Gateway Bridge without paying a toll. According to the Spanish digital newspaper Huffpost, Craig Pedder saw dozens of notifications relating to infractions accumulated over time arrive at his home.
The sanctions refer to the use of road infrastructure without paying the required electronic fee. According to the same source, each notification demands payment of £147, bringing the overall amount to £20,286.
The driver version
Craig Pedder guarantees that he had a valid resident pass for his vehicle. In statements quoted by Huffpost, he said: “These letters demand payments and each notification claims a balance of £147, which adds up to a total of £20,286.”
The man maintains that he was fined, “despite having a valid resident pass for the vehicle”. The same source mentions that the target questions the legitimacy of the fines, claiming that he was covered by a discount scheme.
The crossing of the Mersey Gateway Bridge is managed by the Merseyflow system, responsible for electronic and barrier-free billing. The digital newspaper explains that local users can join the “Local User Discount Program” by paying an annual administrative fee of £12.
According to the same source, this program allows you to cross the bridge at no additional cost, as long as the vehicle registration is properly validated in the system.
What happened to the record
It is worth noting that the case took on a new shape when Craig Pedder went to the administrator’s call center. According to the same source, he was informed that the vehicle associated with the 138 sanctions was no longer listed as his property in the system.
A Merseyflow representative clarified that “Mr Pedder changed the vehicle registered in the system in June 2024 and added his current vehicle, but documents proving his eligibility were not provided”.
Discount plan deactivation
The same statement adds that “the Local User Discount Program plan was deactivated in August 2024 and Mr Pedder was again informed that he would have to pay for his crossings”. According to , the lack of documentation would have led to the automatic suspension of the benefit.
From that moment on, all passages across the bridge were subject to a full charge. It refers to the same source that the notifications were being issued until 138 infractions were reached.
Personal and financial impact
The impact of the notifications was immediate. In statements cited by the same source, Pedder reported: “My four-year-old daughter was very amused by the amount of letters that were on the floor when we got home.”
However, his own reaction was different. “Now I am beyond distressed and constantly nervous every time a car parks in front of my house or there is a knock on the door. I have received more than 500 text messages and another 135 letters from a debt collection agency,” he said.
The case continues to have financial and emotional consequences for the Runcorn resident, who faces a significant accrual as he seeks to clarify the situation with the responsible entities.
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