Severn TAG

The Severn TAG is a payment system for collecting bridge tolls for drivers using either the Severn Bridge Crossing or the Second Severn Crossing over the Severn Estuary between England and Wales.

The system was made by Amtech but was replaced in 2008 by a new system made by CS Eng. To use the system, drivers must place a transponder unit (Tag) on their windscreen to identify their vehicle as they drive through the toll lane. Lanes through the toll booths are dedicated as either Tag (unstaffed), cash (staffed) or automatic coin bins. The new tags are significantly larger than the older units, and the vehicle needs to proceed further toward the barrier before they operate due to the limited area in which the reader "reads" the tag. This prevents the complication of the old system where another tag user could enter the yellow box marking behind the user at the barrier and operate the system with their tag which would then cause the barrier to stay down for the user that entered the boxed area and thus "paying" for the user in front to cross.