We get excited at Freightlink when we hear of road or motorway news, so we were more than delighted to hear last week that the tolls on the Severn bridge crossing into and out of Wales are set to be abolished.

Tolls have been paid on the crossings between the South-west of England and South Wales for the last 50 years. The fee is payable on entry to Wales, leading for some to describe it as a “tax on Wales”, currently costing £6.70 for cars and £20 for lorries.

Welsh Secretary, Alun Cairns, said that he hopes the move: 

“Would boost the economy of south Wales by around £100m a year.”

Currently, around 25 million drivers a year use the two bridges, and if you’re a regular user you could save as much as £1,400 a year.  

Ian Gallagher, the head of policy for the South West and Wales Freight Transport Association, said:

“It is excellent news for the growth of the Welsh and south-west economies, a real shot in the arm for those businesses and commuters who use the bridges daily.”

The Severn crossing toll has been in place since the first Severn Bridge was opened in 1966, when the charge stood at two shillings and sixpence – the equivalent of 12.5p.

You can use the Severn crossing to get to the ports of Pembroke and Fishguard in South Wales, allowing you to have the option of up to 2 crossings a day across the Irish Sea to Rosslare, Southern Ireland.

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