Protests as Severn Bridge tolls spiral

Jan 1 2008 by Sarah Miloudi, Western Mail

POLITICIANS last night claimed that motorists have already paid for the Second Severn Bridge “twice over”.

The claims from the Welsh Liberal Democrats coincided with another rise in tolls at the start of the New Year.

From today, car drivers will pay £5.30 to use the second Severn Crossing, an increase of 20p.

Small goods vehicles and small buses will go up from £10.20 to £10.60 and heavy goods vehicles and buses from £15.30 to £15.90.

Although the toll operators say the increase complies with strict legislation, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Mike German, revealed motorists have already met the cost of the £300m bridge twice over. He said figures pulled from the Assembly Member’s library showed the polls collected from both the original Severn Bridge – which opened in 1966 – and the Second Severn Crossing – which opened 30 years later – amounted to £684m. That figure is more than double the cost of the bridge when it was originally built in 1996.

He pointed out that motorists could end up paying for the Second Severn Crossing three times over before the tolls are eventually scrapped.

The AM for South East Wales said, “Motorists and other business people in Wales will see the cost of crossing the Severn Bridge rise once again, yet we have already paid for the bridge twice over.

“The bridge tolls are a barrier to Welsh prosperity and a real disincentive for people visiting Wales or those setting up business opportunities.”

John Warman, the former mayor of Neath and member of the Campaign Against Severn Tolls (CAST) group, echoed Mr German’s comments, and added Wales should follow Scotland’s lead by taking steps to abolish the tolls.

Mr Warman said, “There are only two remaining toll bridges in Scotland, and it has been a definite boost to their economy.

“A lot of people use the bridge each day – people travelling from Wales and Bristol – and I am sad to see the tolls increase in light of what Mike German has said.”

Since both bridges opened, the amount collected annually from tolls has risen from about £47m to more than £72m in that 10-year period, with the total revenue exceeding £683m.

The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats wants the Government to consider scrapping the tolls, to “close the prosperity gap” between parts of Wales and England.