Thousands sign petition against new bridge name

AROUND 26,000 people have signed a petition in a bid to stop the Second Severn Crossing being renamed The Prince of Wales Bridge.

The petition, set up on www.change.org by Jamie Matthews, has been gathering thousands of signatures since the announcement about renaming the bridge was made last Thursday by Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns.

Mr Cairns announced last week that the Second Severn Crossing would be renamed the Prince of Wales Bridge later this year to mark Prince Charles’ 70th birthday.

But the announcement was met with a swift backlash, with critics saying there should have been a public consultation first.

The Welsh Government also confirmed that Welsh Secretary Mr Cairns wrote to First Minister Carwyn Jones last year and no objections were raised.

A UK Government spokeswoman said the Welsh Government had supported the move, saying: “Since last year, the Secretary of State for Wales has corresponded regularly with the First Minister about renaming the Second Severn Crossing. The Welsh Government has been in full support of the announcement.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Lower tolls have already saved drivers more than £3m.

“When they are removed by the end of this year, more people will be able to take advantage of more new job and business opportunities on both sides of the Prince of Wales Bridge.”