Historic Shrewsbury toll bridge set for digital upgrade
One of the country’s most historic toll bridges constructed in 1881 and located in Shrewsbury is set for an upgrade from this week.
For the company that owns and runs Shrewsbury’s Kingsland Bridge which crosses the River Severn linking Murivance and Kennedy Road is to introduce what it describes as ‘seismic changes.’
In the first phase scheduled to start today (Kingsland) Bridge Company is to replace the four parking pay stations with a contactless card only payment system.
The Monday-Saturday day rate fee will remain at £5, but a Sunday charge will be introduced at £2 for all day parking. The toll bridge’s parking rates continue to be one of the lowest rates in the town.
The second phase, scheduled to be implemented late June/early July, is the replacement of the toll barriers and associated pay machines which will be by contactless card payment only.
The toll is to be increased to 30p from 20p which was introduced 13 years ago.
Announcing the new system and charges, James Hodgson, director/secretary, said: “The company seriously considered whether to continue to provide a cash payment facility. But looking at the technological changes that are happening both now and in particular over the next five years it was decided cash is really going to be far less significant.
“Without cash we are also improving security and long term this is more appealing. Having made the decision to increase the toll we also recognised users would need two coins rather than one, which for some might not be as handy.
“The existing parking machines were purchased in 2008 and we are mindful and conscious of the ongoing problems being caused with machines breaking down on a regular basis and difficulties now arising with repairs.
“We are therefore hoping these changes will bring about significant improvements for our users, whose support we greatly value and appreciate.”
He revealed that usage of the toll bridge had recently returned to pre-covid levels, but the company was still responsible for a considerable amount of cost maintenance to the bridge, its retaining walls and embankments through to the half mile of road surface as well as to drainage, street lighting and trees.
James added: “We are conscious of the fact that the bridge is an icon of the community and we try to maintain it as such.”
