TAMAR Tag users are facing a sharp jump in costs after Tamar Crossings confirmed plans to more than double the monthly administration fee from 80p to £2 – a move that has triggered strong concern from the committee overseeing the bridge and ferry.

The increase, built into the 2025/26 budget, has cleared its first hurdle with support from the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee and will now be decided by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council.

Officials say the rise is long overdue, noting the charge has been frozen since 2014 despite soaring operating costs. The tag scheme now serves more than 90,000 users, and Tamar Crossings says the current fee is “no longer sustainable.”

However, Councillor Andrew Long, co-chair of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, said the timing and impact of the rise would hit South East Cornwall residents hardest.

The Callington area councillor said: “I am disappointed Tamar Crossings are having to increase the administration fee for tag users. At a time when everyone is suffering from increased costs, this disproportionately adversely affects people from South East Cornwall, many of whom have no alternative but to use the ferry and bridge to access vital services in Plymouth.

“It remains the view of the committee that the only long-term solution to this is to get a toll-free crossing of the Tamar and we are pushing for the two authorities, the MPs and the UK government to get a solution in place as soon as possible.

“In addition, we are acutely aware some of the worst affected are people who only use the Tag to access the hospital at Derriford and in the New Year we will be asking Tamar Crossings to see what can be done to support these people who should be able to access the NHS without a charge but this is currently not the case.

“Finally, we will be working with the officers to continue to drill down on costs to run both services and, at the same time, explore other areas of revenue earning that do not penalise the users of the service.”