Sorry dianne, to have to piont this error out again.
it has never ever been cheaper to go to 95% of Italy from the UK via the brenner pass.It is only [possibly] cheaper if you are going to the sud tirol ie dolomites or to the top of lake garda, and leave the same way, before your 10 day or 7 day toll pass for Austria expirers! As i go to Italy 4 times a year and send vehicles their using alternatives routes, and based on /costing/time, and have done so for 2 decades, i suggest you do some proper costings, as the route via the brenner is typically over 100 miles longer to anypionts in italy bar the sud tirol,and therefore adds an extra 200 miles to your route, which typically is over 7 gallons! more fuel and more italian tolls will be needed.then dont forget if you stay for over 7/ 10 days, you will need to pay for two austrian vignettes,and dont forget the 2 tolls for the brenner pass one each way. The Argument is always based around having to pay for 2 switz vignettes, but the extra fuel cost is over £45. and passing through austria and the breener pass each way, adds up to almost £30, and the extra italian m/way tolls are £25, so its actually dearer than going through luxembourg and switzerland.It is also between 2 and 3 hours longer to drive, each way too.