Government announces reduced fees for Severn Crossings
New fees for using the bridges to come into force from January ahead of toll abolition
The government has announced new Seven Crossing toll pricing ahead of the abolition of all fees scheduled for the end of next year.
Cars will pay £5.60 down from £6.70, small buses and vans will pay £11.20 instead of £13.40, while lorries and coaches will pay £16.70 instead of £20.
The crossing will return to public ownership on January 8, when the new pricing will be introduced.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said: “For so many years, the tolls on both Severn Crossings have been seen as an economic and symbolic barrier to Wales’ future prosperity.
“Our decision to reduce the tolls – before abolishing them altogether – will cut costs for businesses, for commuters and tourists alike, helping boost jobs and trade in Wales and across the south-west.”
In July, the government announced that it planned to get rid of tolls on the crossings at the end of 2018 in a move it estimates will boost the economy of south Wales by around £100m per year.
It is also estimated that motorists who use the crossings regularly could save £1,400 per year.
The move to ultimately abolish the tolls comes following a government consultation on whether to reduce the cost of tolls by about half. Ninety-three per cent of 459 respondents “either agreed with halving tolls or going further”.
It is noted that “whilst the consultation did not ask for views on abolishing tolls, there were a significant number of responses that called for such action”.
