THE 24-hour Itchen Bridge toll will be brought back in later this month.

Southampton City Council suspended the toll on March 31 as lockdown was implemented following the coronavirus outbreak.

Limited charging was then introduced between 7am and 6pm Monday-Friday and 8am and 6pm on weekends.

The council says it has been monitoring the volume of traffic using the bridge and is bringing in the 24-hour toll to "manage the number of vehicles using the crossing".

Councillor Jacqui Rayment, deputy leader and cabinet member for customer and organisation, said: “During lockdown it was necessary to suspend charges on the Itchen Bridge to protect vulnerable staff while supporting key workers for whom it was necessary to travel into the city.

"Now, as we return to a new normal and traffic levels start to increase, the council has taken the decision to reintroduce the toll charges to manage traffic levels and help with ongoing maintenance costs.”

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