Countdown to end of Severn tolls
Today marks the last New Year’s Day on which drivers will have to pay to travel into Wales on the Severn Bridge.
The UK Government has previously announced plans to abolish fees which would boost the Welsh economy by an estimated £100m a year, as well as saving motorists thousands of pounds in fees to cross into the country.
While no official date has yet been announced, Secretary of State Alun Cairns yesterday described the situation as a “one-year countdown” until the fees are scrapped by the end of 2018.
But there will be a decrease before then. From January 8, fees will be reduced for motorists entering Wales. Cars will pay £5.60 instead of £6.70, small buses and vans will pay £11.20 instead of £13.40 and lorries and coaches will pay £16.70 instead of £20.
Mr Cairns will meet local partners and businesses from south-east Wales and south-west England at a summit in Newport on January 22 to discuss how links between the two economies can be strengthened ahead of the move.
He said: “The major level of tolls on the Severn Crossings has represented a drag and barrier to Wales’ economic growth for over half a century. In less than a year we will see the biggest economic stimulus for south Wales and the Valleys for decades.
“My decision to abolish the tolls with the support of my UK Government cabinet colleagues is a boost to commuters, tourists and business owners alike who will see extra money in their pockets as they make their way to and from Wales.
“The tolls’ removal will cement the ties between the economies and communities of south Wales and south-west England, creating a growth corridor spanning from Cardiff through Newport to Bristol. I have spoken to several business owners who are encouraged by this decision, and I look forward to discussing further cross-border business opportunities at January’s summit.”
Commenting on the news that the tolls will be scrapped in 2018, Ben Cottam, from the Federation of Small Businesses Wales, said the move was a good start, but that the focus should now be moved to tackling congestion on the M4.
He said: “Before the General Election, we urged all parties to confirm when the tolls would be scrapped in order to provide certainties for business. Businesses will now be able to build in the removal of the tolls into their business planning as we know that for many businesses, this can be a financial hit and will be a disincentive to others.
“Many of our members will see this as providing for new opportunities to work cross-border and attract investment and talent from the south west. The business community with the city region partners also need to consider how this move boosts opportunities to positively market the region as a place to start and grow a business as well as opportunities to boost tourism and leisure.
“The removal of the tolls is however only one of the measures needed to enable easy trade and movement for businesses. We now need to move to a resolution for congestion problems on the M4 including proper consideration of all the available options for improvements.”
Plaid Cymru’s shadow economy secretary, Adam Price AM, said: “The removal of Severn bridge tolls will end the feeling of Welsh citizens being penalised for driving into their own country. This will of course be welcomed by Welsh exporters too, and Plaid Cymru has generally favoured reducing or removing tolls.
“However, this straightforward change must not be used as a cynical strategy to create a ‘Greater England,’or to suggest that our south-east should be merged in some way with neighbouring English regions.”