Driver Slammed with £20,000 in Toll Bridge Penalties for Vehicle Sold Half a Decade Ago
A motorist from Cheshire has been confronted with a staggering £20,000 in penalty charges for crossings made on the Mersey Gateway toll bridge by a car he sold five years ago. Craig Pedder, 38, returned to his home in Runcorn to discover 138 envelopes piled in his hallway, each demanding a payment of £147.
Overwhelming Batch of Notices Delivered in Single Day
The letters all arrived on January 26, 2026, but the penalty charge notices (PCNs) themselves cover a period from December 2023 to November 2024, totalling an eye-watering £20,286. Craig Pedder maintains that he properly completed the DVLA transfer when he sold the white Ford Focus in April 2021 and should have no further connection to the vehicle.
"My four-year-old daughter opened the door and she was laughing her head off when she saw all of the envelopes - she thought it was hysterical," Craig shared. "I thought it was odd because you don't get much post nowadays with everything being online. But then I started opening them and I saw what they were."
Dispute Over Local User Discount Scheme and Documentation
The correspondence originated from a debt collection agency rather than directly from Merseyflow, the operator of the toll bridge. As a registered Halton resident, Craig Pedder believes he should not have been charged for these crossings at all. Residents can sign up for the Local User Discount Scheme (LUDS), which allows locals to cross the bridge free after paying a £12 annual administration fee.
Merseyflow explained that the fines were issued after Mr Pedder's LUDS plan expired in December 2023 and was not renewed. When plans lapse without renewal, accounts automatically switch to pre-pay status, making motorists responsible for crossing charges.
The company stated that Mr Pedder updated the vehicle details on his Merseyflow account in June 2024 but failed to submit documentation proving his eligibility for the LUDS scheme, resulting in the plan being cancelled in August 2024.
Reinstatement and Persistent Outstanding Charges
Merseyflow confirmed the plan was reinstated in April 2025 after receiving the required paperwork. However, the outstanding PCNs remain because the necessary forms and proof of sale have yet to be provided. The firm also clarified that the reason 138 letters arrived in a single batch was due to Mr Pedder relocating without informing the DVLA.
Initial correspondence was sent to a previous address before being reissued to his current residence. Merseyflow emphasised that cases only progress to enforcement after numerous written warnings have been dispatched.
Stress and Harassment from Debt Collection Efforts
Craig Pedder insists the vehicle should not be linked to him, noting that the purchaser would have been required to tax and insure it under their own name. It remains unexplained why the vehicle continued to be associated with him when the penalties were issued.
"I am now beyond stressed and constantly on edge whenever a car parks outside my house or there is a knock at the door," he said, characterising the ordeal as overwhelming. "I have received over 500 text messages and another 135 letters from a debt collection agency. I felt very harassed with the constant texts. I was busy working and they just wouldn't stop - one after another."
He added, "Even though I haven't done anything wrong, it makes you feel like you have. It makes you feel guilty and on edge."
Merseyflow has encouraged all motorists to keep their toll accounts and DVLA details current and accurate to avoid similar situations. The case highlights ongoing issues with vehicle ownership transfers and administrative processes in toll charge enforcement.
