Guidance on the new tolling system at the Humber Bridge is now out to help fleets prepare for the major new changes.

The new system goes live later this year and will replace toll booths with an automatic payment solution dubbed the Humber Bridge Toll.

The new system utilises key technologies including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and artificial intelligence and will automatically take payment from Humber Bridge users who have a Humber Bridge Toll account.

Other payment methods, including a new website, payment app, payments via phone and the ability to pay in cash at Paypoint locations across the region, will also be introduced.

Once the system goes live, all traffic crossing the Humber Bridge will be directed through the current HumberTAG lanes, which will be widened to two lanes on both the southbound and northbound carriageways.

The roads that currently lead to the toll booths will be permanently closed to the public and only available for use by Humber Bridge vehicles and abnormal loads.

Ahead of the launch of the new system, Humber Bridge has released a series of downloadable guides to answer questions.

There is an individual guide for HumberTAG account users, one for guest drivers (those without a HumberTAG account), a guide for business and fleet users, and one for drivers who qualify for the Mobility Concessions Scheme.

Andrew Arundel, chief executive officer, said the guides offered the clearest and easiest way for bridge users to access the information they needed to know about the changes in one place.

He explained: “Today marks the start of the countdown to the launch of the new tolling system at the Humber Bridge. It’s an exciting development in the bridge’s history and one that will enable everyone to cross without having to stop at the toll booths, as well as introducing more ways to pay.

“However, we realise that bridge users, whether everyday commuters, occasional users, business users or those crossing for medical reasons, will have lots of questions about the changes and how they will impact on the way they cross.

“We want to make it as easy as we possibly can for people to get those answers, so we have created a range of guides that people can download, read in their own time, and share with family members and friends, so everyone knows what to expect and do.”

The guides are simple to download – businesses and drivers won’t be asked for an email address or any other information to access them – and provide clear guidance on how the new system will work.

The guides will also shortly be available in print form at key locations across the region including local libraries.

Earlier this year, Humber Bridge announced that a rise in tolls will be implemented when the new system goes live.

The rise – the first increase since 2012 – will see existing and new account customers pay £1.50 to cross in a car, vans will be charged at £4.00 and HGVs at £12.

For non-account customers, the toll fee will be £2.00 for cars, £5.00 for vans and £15.00 for HGVs.

Motorcycles will continue to cross for free, the concession scheme for drivers with disabilities will continue, and crossings will still be free for south bank patients travelling to Castle Hill Hospital for treatment.

Currently, users pay £1.50 for cars, £4.00 for vans and £12.00 for HGVs with a 10% discount for TAG customers.