One motorist was taken by surprise when they stumbled upon a toll bridge in the British countryside, demanding a mere 5p to cross. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments
Fortunately for drivers’ finances, the overwhelming majority of UK’s roads are free of charge, with upkeep expenses financed through taxation. Nevertheless, dotted around the country are some roads and bridges where vehicle operators must remit an extra fee.
Numerous ones are well known, like the M6 charge in the West Midlands, the M25 Dartford Crossing, Hull’s Humber Bridge, and the Tyne Tunnels situated to Newcastle’s east. Even so, there exist a range of less prominent toll roads which can catch unaware drivers totally off guard. One amused social media individual described their unanticipated encounter with a toll bridge located in the Oxfordshire rural area – asking for just 5p to pass.
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Furthermore, even though most contemporary toll facilities permit credit card payments or online transactions, this specific crossing runs on a strictly cash-only system, compelling the unprepared driver to frantically hunt for spare change.
They recounted: “Travelling across the countryside near Oxford I unexpectedly came upon the Swinford Toll Bridge. With vehicles behind me and nowhere to U-turn I had to proceed.
“I presumed it was simply one of our quaint British peculiarities and some amusement for the two old chaps in the kiosk but no, they were there for the 5p and it was cash only no exceptions. You are even supposed to return later to settle up if you don’t have the money.
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“They’ve got CCTV! I checked it out later and found the wiki page. It was established by an Act of Parliament in the 1700s. It’s privately held and makes an average of £500 per day!
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“I deemed that mildly interesting, but what really surprised me were the reviews on the trip recommendation app. Some five stars and a plethora of one stars. People either are fond of it or loathe it. Most despise..”
The Swinford Toll Bridge crosses the River Thames on the B4044, roughly eight miles to Oxford’s west, the Mirror states. Cars, small buses, and trucks are charged 5p.
Cars towing caravans and vans carrying trailers are subject to a 10p surcharge, buses are charged 12p, and double-decker buses 20p. Articulated trucks are required to pay 10p for each axle.
A bloke in each direction and 5p per car. I thought they were joking. They weren’t joking.
byu/Indigestivebiscuit inCasualUK
As per Eynsham Online, the bridge initially opened in 1769. A private individual purchased it for £1.08 million in 2009, with the toll charges staying as they were, allegedly making them the most inexpensive in Britain.
Reddit users were astonished by the revelation. One stated: “Demanding 5p coins in 2026 can’t be succeeding for them.”
Another commented: “Imagine the logistics of locating a 5p coin every single morning though. Actual dedication that.”
Someone else replied: “I imagine you would simply keep a jar of 5ps near the door to avoid this.”
Local citizens familiar with the crossing also shared their accounts of using the bridge. One disclosed: “This is my way to get to work. You are not required to have a 5p piece, they provide change. Every so often I’ll toss a pound coin or two in the car and gradually use them up.”
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As a response, another user appended: “Adding that frequently cars ahead will cover the cost for others which is always agreeable. It’s an amusing lottery daily, in addition to the weekend’s ‘is it open’ game. But the hole in the side needs repairing. It makes me dizzy to look at.”
Another individual remarked: “Most people are taking the A40 now. Practically everyone who utilize this bridge are local commuters who have decided it’s worth the 5p to bypass some congestion on the ring-road, and thus know to have 5p with them.”