MOTORISTS who regularly travel using the Severn Bridge will welcome a drop in tolls from January 8.
The new fees will be:
Category 1 (car/up to 9 seats) – £5.60, down from £6.70
Category 2 (up to 17 seats) – £11.20, down from £13.40
Category 3 (18+ seats) – £16.70, down from £20
The tolls for using the bridge will be scrapped entirely by the end of 2018, the Government has said.
25 million vehicles use the bridge every year, with £167.5m raised from tolls in 2017 alone.
Motorists who use the bridge daily will save £300 in 2018.
As it stands, the average driver in Wales uses the bridges six times a year, while those in the South West go over and back just five times in 12 months.
Drivers in the West Midlands use them the least at just four times a year.
In fact, almost one in 10 (9%) motorists admit they take a longer detour to avoid paying the current bridge tolls. But one in seven (14%) say they will use the bridges more once the tolls are reduced.
Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “The two Severn Crossings have been money-making machines for many years, but from January they will be going the opposite way! Drivers who commute over the bridges every day will save almost £300 over the year, which is a step towards reducing their motoring costs.
“Lowering the price of the bridge tolls could provide a boost for the local economy, and it is also a huge win for drivers in the surrounding regions. The cost of motoring is on the up, with car insurance expected to be the most expensive on record in 2018, and fuel price increases week on week. But the toll cut is a positive step forward in making it more affordable for drivers.”
Add Comment