THE Mersey Tunnels will be completely FREE to drive through this Christmas.

The £1.80 toll for the two routes connecting Liverpool with Birkenhead and Wallasey will not be payable for a certain period over the holidays.

It’s in a bid to help people across the region see family and friends, as well as aiding those needing to get to work.

It will mean both the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels are toll-free from 10pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on Boxing Day, and follows last year, when similar a closure plan also happened.

Councillor Liam Robinson, portfolio holder for transport at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce that once again, not only will both Mersey Tunnels be open on Christmas Day, they will also be toll-free.

“We hope this will make it easier for Liverpool City Region residents from both sides of the river to be with their loved ones on this special day, as well as helping those who will be working over the festive period.”

The news comes after it was announced Merseyrail platform closures will mean replacement buses across Liverpool and Wirral over the festive period.

After the last service of the day on December 24, stations on the Wirral Loop Line – James Street, Moorfields, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central, as well as Conway Park, Birkenhead Park, Hamilton Square – will close.

Birkenhead Central will be open for interchange only. All other services during the day on Christmas Eve will run as normal.

They are set to take place until New Year’s Day, and Merseyrail said replacement buses will run instead.

The phased works began last month, and will see almost every station on the network close at some point to prepare platforms for the arrival of a new fleet of trains from 2020.