Welsh Tories want control of Severn crossings for Wales (From South Wales Argus)
Get involved: Send your photos, video, news & views by texting ARGUS NEWS to 80360 or email
us
Welsh Tories want control of Severn crossings for Wales
12:30pm Friday 15th March 2013 in News
By David Deans - Politics reporter
Welsh Tories want control of Severn crossings for Wales
THE official Assembly opposition will come out today in favour of bringing the Severn crossings into Welsh hands.
Welsh Conservatives say devolving the Severn crossings would give Wales the levers to help hard-pressed motorists.
The party wants to consult on how the bridges would be tolled – looking at three options varying between a flat-rate toll to keeping the structure as it is.
It indicates a growing consensus in the Assembly for the idea – Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones has called for the bridges to be devolved while Plaid also wants control handed to Cardiff.
The Assembly Conservatives would like to see the bridges devolved in 2018 when an agreement for Severn Crossing PLC to run them should end.
However, the policy has come at risk of causing a row within the party. David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, says he knew nothing about it and said there had been no consultation.
Mr Davies, who has studied the bridges at the Welsh Affairs Committee, said: “I don’t think it will get anywhere. Its not government policy and this is a matter that will be decided by Westminister.”
He previously called Mr Jones’ move “fantasy politics”.
The UK government plans to keep the tolls in public ownership to pay off a £112 million debt.
Shadowminister for transport Byron Davies will launch the policy at Newport haulage firm Owens Logistics today.
He said: “Devolution of the bridges – and future use of the tolls – has the real potential to help hard-pressed motorists, provide significant investment in Welsh infrastructure..”
Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay said: “Devolving the crossings has huge potential for all of us and continued discussion of the toll structure is now vital.”
The Tories plan to hold forums to collect views on whether to retain the current toll structure and put all cash into Welsh infrastructure; having a lower toll and using some cash for maintenance and some for infrastructure, or a flat-rate toll to just cover maintenance.
A UK Government Department for Transport spokesman said the debt that remains outstanding at the end of the private concession must be recovered.
He said: “We are not proposing any changes and have not taken any decisions on the future of the crossing.”
Comments(7)
whatintheworld
says...
2:11pm Fri 15 Mar 13
I'd much rather it was in Welsh hands!
Cwmderi
says...
3:31pm Fri 15 Mar 13
However, this is not a new initiative as Plaid called on the Westminster government for a scheme like this about two years ago.
Why is it not surprising that the ories in Wales and Dai Davies MP are not aware of the previous proposal submitted to Westminster by Plaid?
Nevertheless, it is good to see that other parties are prepared to take up Plaid initiatives.
Owain Vaughan
says...
6:19pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Ian MacKinlay
says...
8:10pm Fri 15 Mar 13
The bridge is wholly within England. So why should control of it be given to Wales?
Going in a westerly direction, from England towards Wales, immediately after crossing the River Severn, there is a smaller bridge, across the River Wye. This bridge does span the border between England and Wales so there would obviously be some logic in Wales being involved with this in some way. I do not know whether technically the toll one pays, when travelling westwards, covers only the Severn Bridge or the bridge across the Wye also. If the toll covers only the Severn Bridge, then responsibility for the bridge, and revenues from the toll should be England's. If the toll covers the bridge across the Wye also, responsibility for the this bridge should be the joint responsibility of both Wales and England with revenues collected covering both bridges split pro rata. Given the Wye bridge is tiny compared with the Severn Bridge proper, Wales may end up with about ten or fifteen per cent of the revenues, if it is lucky.
The Second Severn crossing is a different matter and it does indeed span the border between Wales and England. Logically, responsibility for this bridge, and its revenues, would be shared between Wales and England.
It is difficult to see why any solution dealing with both crossings taken together should be simply a case of handing over responsibilities and revenues to Wales lock, stock and barrel.
Gooding
says...
10:07pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
8:15am Sat 16 Mar 13
gners free crossing and charge then Engerlish loads. Push offa dyke was built!!!!
Magor says...
1:32pm Fri 15 Mar 13