TAMAR Tag applications are expected to resume shortly after new supplies of the electronic toll devices arrived, Tamar Bridge officials have confirmed.

The update was given after Cllr Anne Freeman questioned what was being done for drivers who have been unable to apply for a tag and have consequently been paying the full toll.

Speaking at the latest meeting of the Joint Committee of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry, Cllr Freeman asked Chief Officer Philip Robinson when the shortage was expected to be resolved.

She also questioned whether customers could be added to the Tamar Tag database using their vehicle registration numbers, allowing them to receive the discounted toll while waiting for a physical tag.

“I’ve literally just signed off the customs release for the TAGs, so they’re inbound and hopefully we can start issuing them fairly soon,” said Mr Robinson.

The shortage follows a surge in demand for tags after consultation over the scheme’s administration fee.

Applications were temporarily halted online early in August after demand reached unusually high levels at the same time as the manufacturer experienced delays sourcing a key electronic component.

Customers were warned they could face waits of up to four weeks for a new tag, with the next delivery expected towards the end of September.

Mr Robinson said the unexpectedly high demand had contributed to the current situation.

“I would apologise to anybody who has had to pay more than they otherwise would have done,” he said. “The success of the consultation around the TAG administration fee led to a rush of applications, which exceeded our planning.

“Ordinarily, we would have had the TAGs in place, but suddenly people thought, ‘This is great, I get a 50% discount,’ and we ran out of stock. So, I apologise for that. It’s one of those things.”

Cllr Freeman had suggested that, if the shortage was likely to continue for longer, customers could potentially be added to the system using their vehicle registration number and receive the half-price toll while waiting for a physical tag.

She said there had to be a way of preventing customers who were entitled to the discount from effectively being forced to pay the full toll.

Coral Jonas, Tamar Bridge Manager, said the authority was working to resolve the issue, explaining that bringing in new tags involved the supplier and the customs release process.

The possibility of introducing a temporary registration-number system was discussed. However, officers pointed out creating such a system would require additional work and could potentially cause further delays elsewhere in the tolling process.

Mr Robinson also highlighted that longer-term changes could eventually make physical tag accounts unnecessary.

“You hear the expression ‘one solution that solves four problems’. Open-road tolling, ANPR and the new system would ultimately mean we don’t have TAG accounts,” he said.

The tag scheme currently provides discounted tolls for regular users of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry, with the standard tag rate offering a 50 per cent discount.