Renovation work has begun on the toll booths at the Tamar Bridge, with the six booths nearing 20 years of use. Over time, the structures have experienced a variety of issues, including leaking roofs, damaged windows, and outdated mechanical and electrical systems.
To address these concerns, a temporary workspace has been established at the Tamar Crossings site. This facility will enable the refurbishment of the toll booths, including the installation of new windows, doors, and upgraded mechanical and electrical systems. Each booth is expected to take between six and eight weeks to complete, depending on its individual condition.
The refurbishment comes on the heels of recent improvements to the bridge’s toll payment system. Just last month, it was reported that the time required to process card payments at the booths has been reduced by half. With the installation of new, faster card readers, the average payment processing time has been slashed from 17 seconds to just six seconds, improving the overall experience for those crossing the River Tamar.
Tamar Bridge sees an average of 44,000 vehicles daily, making efficient toll operations crucial to maintaining smooth traffic flow. The bridge’s management is committed to monitoring traffic trends and ensuring a high standard of service for its users.
Coral Jonas, manager of the Tamar Bridge, explained: “We conducted an analysis of the toll plaza and quickly identified that payment speeds, especially for card transactions, could be improved. Previously, it took around 17 seconds to process payments, and in some cases, it could take up to 40 seconds. With the new machines, we’ve reduced the processing time to just six seconds, which has significantly enhanced traffic flow across the bridge.”
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