Ferry set for automated tolls after ANPR cameras
Ferry set for automated tolls after ANPR cameras
Ethan Gudge - South of EnglandSat, May 30, 2026 at 7:11 AM UTC
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Sandbanks Ferry tickets will go exclusively online from 1 July
A new automated toll process is set to be implemented on a popular south coast chain ferry, after the installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
The Sandbanks Ferry, in Dorset, will introduce the cameras on all crossings from 1 July 2026, which it says will bring a "faster and simpler experience for passengers".
The ferry explained that the ANPR launch would coincide with all toll payments moving online, removing the need for vehicles to stop before being loaded on.
It comes after the firm confirmed the move to automated toll payment earlier this year, which it warned "could result in the need for a small number of redundancies".
Fresh price rises were introduced on the ferry in April, after they were agreed by the Department for Transport, following a public inquiry.
'Meeting modern standards'
Mike Kean, chairman of the Sandbanks Ferry, said the operator was "investing to make sure this business is fit for the future".
"Part of that means upgrading our systems to meet modern standards."
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He said the firm's current tolling provider would be withdrawing service at the end of June, meaning this was "absolutely the right moment to move to a faster, more capable system".
"We are confident that this free-flowing traffic system will make a real and noticeable difference, getting people across the water faster and reducing pressure on local roads," Kean said.
He added that extra staff would be available throughout the new scheme's introduction to "help passengers through the change".
Under the new system, those using the ferry will be able to either pay after travel, buy tokens in advance, or set up an account - with discounts available for bulk purchases.
It said those currently with ferry accounts would need to set up new ones for use with the ANPR technology by 1 July.
The current Sandbanks Ferry vessel, Bramble Bush Bay, was introduced in 1994.
The ferry saves motorists a 25-mile (40km) journey by road between Studland and Sandbanks.
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Related internet links -
Sandbanks Ferry
Source: “AOL Money”
