17th December 2018 - the start of toll free Severn Bridges

[whole diary]

[martyjon]

Don't worry.

When the Welsh who have never visited Bristol belore and those paying a return visit have found they have to pick their way past open air dormitories of the street sleepers hostel, past occupied concrete bedrolls alongside concrete bedside cabinets the tops are which are cluttered with empty cans of what was the dormitories occupants last refreshment in a restricted area in which consumption of certain refreshments as those contained in the empty cans is prohibited demonstrates the bye-law is clearly not being monitored plus having to walk past further street dwellers requesting 'any change' for their next 4-pack purchase  and street buskers playing out of tune instruments those visitors from tother side of the Severn will say, "Visit Bristol, never again".

I think there's a little more to Bristol than that (and I speak as a Plymothian!). Unless you live in a bubble, you'll find similar scenes in all large cities (and not so large towns). People tend to understand that.

And when they've experienced the daily traffic congestion and gridlocked central area even on a Sunday, what then ?

[TaplowGreen]

Don't worry.

When the Welsh who have never visited Bristol belore and those paying a return visit have found they have to pick their way past open air dormitories of the street sleepers hostel, past occupied concrete bedrolls alongside concrete bedside cabinets the tops are which are cluttered with empty cans of what was the dormitories occupants last refreshment in a restricted area in which consumption of certain refreshments as those contained in the empty cans is prohibited demonstrates the bye-law is clearly not being monitored plus having to walk past further street dwellers requesting 'any change' for their next 4-pack purchase  and street buskers playing out of tune instruments those visitors from tother side of the Severn will say, "Visit Bristol, never again".

I think there's a little more to Bristol than that (and I speak as a Plymothian!). Unless you live in a bubble, you'll find similar scenes in all large cities (and not so large towns). People tend to understand that.

And when they've experienced the daily traffic congestion and gridlocked central area even on a Sunday, What then ?

…...I would hope they'd tread carefully to avoid falling down the holes left by the goalposts which you just moved! 

[martyjon]

Don't worry.

When the Welsh who have never visited Bristol belore and those paying a return visit have found they have to pick their way past open air dormitories of the street sleepers hostel, past occupied concrete bedrolls alongside concrete bedside cabinets the tops are which are cluttered with empty cans of what was the dormitories occupants last refreshment in a restricted area in which consumption of certain refreshments as those contained in the empty cans is prohibited demonstrates the bye-law is clearly not being monitored plus having to walk past further street dwellers requesting 'any change' for their next 4-pack purchase  and street buskers playing out of tune instruments those visitors from tother side of the Severn will say, "Visit Bristol, never again".

I think there's a little more to Bristol than that (and I speak as a Plymothian!). Unless you live in a bubble, you'll find similar scenes in all large cities (and not so large towns). People tend to understand that.

And when they've experienced the daily traffic congestion and gridlocked central area even on a Sunday, What then ?

…...I would hope they'd tread carefully to avoid falling down the holes left by the goalposts which you just moved! 

A sports pitsh usually has two goalposts. 

[Western Pathfinder]

That's a good point, but there seems to be enough on street parking in the vicinity. There also seems to be a lot of space to put a car park if needed, although I suppose that would then need to be paid for, so would reduce the savings a bit.

To be fair to the good people who live in the vicinity Of Severn Beach ,yes there is a fair amount of on street parking which they use when going about their daily lives, in truth it gets very congested around the station ,and I for one would not like to see any more on street parking by rail users, not too mention the increase in passenger numbers which I wonder given its poor performance of late,the Beach could cope with.

[JayMac]

Plenty of derelict railway land at The Beach for car parking though.

[Celestial]

To be fair to the good people who live in the vicinity Of Severn Beach ,yes there is a fair amount of on street parking which they use when going about their daily lives, in truth it gets very congested around the station ,and I for one would not like to see any more on street parking by rail users, not too mention the increase in passenger numbers which I wonder given its poor performance of late,the Beach could cope with.

I get your point, but if people can save £49 a week then, human nature what it is,  appealing to their better nature not to clutter up your streets and trains is likely to fall on deaf ears don't you think?

[Red Squirrel]

Today is the first day of toll-free crossings of the Severn - and the Bristol Post has found a typically positive angle to report:

Crossing the Severn Bridge could now cost you £100 as new speed cameras are installed

The £5.60 toll has now been scrapped but new speed cameras have already been installed to ensure people follow the new speed restrictions and narrow lanes.

You won't have to pay to simply cross the Severn Bridge anymore but not paying attention to the new layout could mean you end up paying a lot more than £5.60.

Because observant motorists have noticed new speed cameras being installed even before the toll booths were finished being removed.

The new cameras, which are now in place on the approach to both bridges, are there to enforce the temporary speed limits on the narrow lanes which will be in place until work is finished next year.

From this morning, anyone who does not follow the rules of the new lanes and exceeds the new 50mph limit could be slapped with a £100 fine and three points on their driving licence.

[and on and on and on...]

You gotta love 'em...

[patch38]

You gotta love 'em...

...and their grasp of the English language.

[grahame]

You gotta love 'em...

...and their grasp of the English language.

Gallai croesi Pont Hafren nawr costio £ 100 i chi wrth i gamerâu cyflymder newydd gael eu gosod

Mae'r doll o £ 5.60 bellach wedi'i ddileu ond mae camerâu cyflymder newydd eisoes wedi'u gosod i sicrhau bod pobl yn dilyn y cyfyngiadau cyflymder a'r lonydd cul.

Ni fydd yn rhaid i chi dalu er mwyn croesi Bont Hafren nawr ond ni allai roi sylw i'r cynllun newydd olygu eich bod yn dal i dalu llawer mwy na £ 5.60.

Oherwydd bod modurwyr arsylwi wedi sylwi bod camerâu cyflymder newydd yn cael eu gosod hyd yn oed cyn i'r bwthi tollau gael eu tynnu.

Mae'r camerâu newydd, sydd bellach yn eu lle ar yr ymagwedd at y ddau bont, yno i orfodi'r terfynau cyflymder dros dro ar y lonydd cul a fydd yn eu lle nes bydd y gwaith wedi'i orffen y flwyddyn nesaf.

O'r bore yma, gallai unrhyw un nad yw'n dilyn rheolau'r lonydd newydd ac yn fwy na'r terfyn 50mya newydd gael ei gipio â dirwy o £ 100 a thri phwynt ar eu trwydded yrru.

I have learned to be very careful when talking to journalists ... some are excellent but others look to make a story from nothing ...

[SandTEngineer]

...lucky for some.  The Tamar Bridge tolls are going up in the new year from £1.50 to £2.....

[broadgage]

Another example of road transport getting cheaper or better, whilst trains become more expensive, and in many cases less satisfactory.

Think of all that extra traffic and all the fuel burnt, and climate changing emissions therefrom.

[Celestial]

Now the bridge has been paid for the cost of maintenance is quoted at 6m a year, so about 25p per journey. So continuing to toll would effectively be a tax. It would be unfair to continue to place the burden of tolls on the welsh economy simply for environmental reasons whilst other regions enjoy free use of the motorway don't you think?


I agree that there is concern about increased traffic and how the roads will cope especially the Brynglas Tunnels. But the powers that be on both sides of the bridge have known for years that the bridge would be fully paid by about now, and (at least on the welsh side) all they have done so far is talk about a new road.


I can't see the problem with building a new M4 given the traffic on the existing one.  The environmentalists talk about it going over ecologically special land.  Really?  It's some mud flats south of where the steelworks once was, and if built there will still be more than enough mud on either side for the birds, newts, bats or whatever.

[Bmblbzzz]

An increase in traffic caused by the axing of the Severn Bridge tolls has led to plans for a new bypass.

Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and the Forest of Dean councils are working together to find a solution which will alleviate the number of vehicles driving through Chepstow.

In January, Highways England said a record number of vehicles came to Wales after the charges were scrapped on December 17.

Between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, 194,631 made westbound crossings on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, an 18 per cent increase on the same week in 2017.

There were 59,854 crossings westbound over the old Severn Bridge between 25 December and 31 December compared with 44,752 in 2017.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/m48-traffic-severn-bridge-toll-2511928