A PECULIAR sight greeted motorists as they passed the toll plaza on the English side of the Severn Bridge today, as the tolls were finally demolished.

The area looked strangely bare after the workmen had left - a pile of rubble and later an empty space sitting where once there had been eight toll booths.

This work follows the demolition of some of the toll booths at the plaze on the Welsh side of the Prince of Wales Bridge at the end of last year.

There had been a charge to cross the Severn Bridge for more than 50 years.

Back in 1966, the year the bridge officially opened, motorists were required to pay 2s 6d to cross (the equivalent of £0.125 in today's money).

Motorists are now free to use both bridges without having to pay for the privilege.

“The end of the tolls is a major milestone for the economies of south Wales and south west of England, and will remove historic barriers between communities,” said Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns.

“Scrapping the tolls means an end to generations of people paying to simply cross the border and delivering this has been one of my key aims as Welsh Secretary."