THE NEWSDESK: Severn tolls are a national scandal

It is clear from a 2012 report commissioned by the Welsh Government that the tolls have a significant impact on the economy of south Wales.

That report stated that some logistics companies are spending in excess of £200,000 a year on Severn Crossing tolls - and some feel the need to relocate to the English side of the bridge because of that.

The level of tolls holds Welsh workers back from job opportunities on the English side, and vice versa.

They are a barrier to investment, and dampen local house prices.

The tolls on the Humber Bridge, for example, are £1.50 for a single crossing for a car, £4 for a van single crossing and £12 for an HGV single crossing.

From January, the double crossing for the Severn Bridges will be £6.50, 10p extra, while small goods vehicles and small buses will pay an extra 30p at £13.10. Heavy goods vehicles and buses will pay an additional 40p at £19.60.

For cars and vans, the difference is marked. Two crossings of the Humber bridge would cost less than half of the Severn charges for a car.

Severn River Crossing PLC, which owns the Severn Bridge and the Second Severn Crossing, increase tolls every January in line with the Retail Price Index.

Its concession runs out when it has collected just over £990 million in 1998 prices - repaying construction costs and debt - which is set to happen in 2018.

Last week Welsh Assembly members called for the tolls to be scrapped or reduced when the bridges come into public ownership in 2018.

The Liberal Democrats called the tolls a "tax on Wales" and I tend to agree with that assessment.

They vowed the get rid of the tolls if they are in government after the 2015 general election.

As that seems somewhat unlikely, I shan't hold my breath.

But whatever government is returned in Westminster must recognise that the Severn Bridges are uniquely important to the economy of Wales.

And, as such, they should be in public ownership and run for the benefit of the people of Wales - not treated as a cash cow by any Westminster government.

And what better way for the UK government to put its money where its mouth is than to hand the running of the bridges over to the Senedd?

If, then, we as a country feel we need to keep a level of toll to ensure repairs are carried out, then it will, at least, be our decision.

Not something foisted upon us.

There is cross-party support for a cut in the tolls.

John Griffiths, AM for Newport East, said that reduced tolls could improve Welsh tourism.

He said: “It’s a matter of public concern that impact on Wales’s economy. There is a disincentive to visit and more English residents would find Wales more attractive if the tolls were reduced or abolished.

“The debate will intensify until 2018 and, hopefully, the Welsh government will have responsibility for the decision. There was a similar case at the Humber Bridge tolls (in Yorkshire), where a UK review wrote off £150 million of debt – leading to reduced tolls as a result. This makes a strong case for why the tolls will hopefully be reduced ahead of 2018.”

Plaid Cymru backs devolving the tolls and Nick Ramsay, the Conservative AM for Monmouth, said that there were two issues at hand: reducing tolls and reducing congestion.

He said: “Congestion is also an issue, particular at peak times. I would like to see devolution of tolls and a tag system for congestion, to allow more traffic through.

“However, my constituents would be uneasy with a fall in maintenance charges that would speed up the bridge’s demise, owed to corrosion.”

The Lib Dems say scrapping the tolls would boost the south Wales economy by around £107 million a year.

By that token, a significant reduction - where repair costs were covered by a far smaller toll - would also boost the economy by tens of millions.

It is high time that Wales took control of one of its major arteries to ensure the future prosperity of our economy and the best of potentials for our workforce, whichever side of the border their jobs happen to be.