IT’S been a very, very, very long time coming, but finally the light is at the end of the tunnel, or bridge, for users of the two Severn crossings.

The Conservative Party promised to scrap tolls on the two Severn bridges ahead of last month’s General Election, to widespread applause from their supporters and grudging murmurs of “about time” from opposition parties.

Although the uncertain result of the election, which saw Theresa May’s gamble backfire spectacularly and the Conservatives lose their grip on power, and subsequent deal with the DUP threw the pledge into doubt, last week the government announced the bridges would become toll-free by the end of next year.

Good news, of course.

But it hasn’t escaped notice that the decision was announced the day after it was revealed plans to electrify the rail line between Cardiff and Swansea had been ditched.

While we devoted very little column space to the decision in the Argus as it’s outside our circulation area, the decision was met with widespread fury, with many feeling they had been lied to after years of promises. And it’s possible the government wasn’t quite braced for the backlash.

When big decisions such as this are announced the media are usually told at least the day before, and generally in good time.

But the notice about the Severn tolls didn’t come out until after 5.30pm the day before, suggesting there might have been a bit of a desperate scramble on the part of Whitehall to get some good news for Wales out as quickly as possible.

That’s certainly what Carwyn Jones thought when he called the announcement “nothing but a desperate attempt by (Welsh secretary) Alun Cairns to distract from yesterday’s u-turn on electrification to Swansea”.

So yes, it’s welcome for people in Gwent and Bristol, but small comfort for those who get the train to and from Cardiff and Swansea every day.

And the impact of the tolls has to be considered. If traffic on the M4 does increase, it’s going to put more pressure on the Brynglas Tunnels, already the bane of the existence of anyone who uses that stretch of motorway past Newport.

In an ideal world the M4 relief road would have been built before the tolls were scrapped, but it’s clear that’s not going to happen any time soon.

Although I imagine regular users of the bridges will be glad of the extra change in their pockets, which could amount to an extra couple of hundred pounds a month, that’s going to be small comfort if it just means getting stuck in traffic further down the line.

And it hasn’t escaped notice that the government hasn’t been any more specific on when the charges will stop than “in 2018”. Monmouth’s David Davies has previously told me outstanding debts around the bridges to be fully paid off by the end of next year, with the tolls to end shortly after.

But the government must be held to account over its promise.

If we get towards the end of next year with tolls still in place it will speak volumes about the UK government’s ability to follow through on its promises.

l The Conservative Party’s deal with the DUP, which included a £1-billion sweetener for Northern Ireland, caused some serious rumblings in Wales and Scotland when it was announced.

Westminster has claimed the deal was made outside the Barnett Formula, which ensures the devolved administrations get a fair share of investment.

And now the Welsh and Scottish Governments have banded together to launch a formal challenge against the deal, claiming Wales should be entitled to £1.67 billion and Scotland £2.9 billion as a result of the agreement.

What will become of this it’s difficult to say.

It’s clear they’ll have a struggle on their hands – Westminster doesn’t have a great record of listening to the Welsh Assembly’s demands and the Treasury has already said areas such as South Wales have benefited from extra cash from City Deals and other schemes which haven’t impacted on the Barnett Formula.

What this space.

l It’s not just schools which broke up for the summer holidays last week, with both Parliament and the Senedd now on recess.

While this doesn’t mean politicians will be sitting back and having a nice relax until government business gets started again in September, at least in theory, it’s clear their workload will be significantly lighter for the next couple of months.

So, if you’ve had an issue you’ve been meaning to speak to your MP or AM about, now might be the time to drop them a line about it.

My apologies to politicians looking forward to a relaxing summer break.