Haulage firms ‘could face near 100-mile diversion’ due to Severn Bridge works
Haulage firms ‘could face near 100-mile diversion’ due to Severn Bridge works
Haulage firms have warned they could face diversions of nearly 100 miles due to ongoing works on the Severn Bridge, when the Prince of Wales Bridge is closed in an emergency such as a serious road traffic collision or high winds.
Work has already begun to repair the cables on the Severn Bridge, which will force Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) over 7.5 tonnes to travel via the Prince of Wales Bridge instead.
But haulage firms have raised concerns about the added costs, which will need to be passed on to customers due to extended driver hours and the extra fuel required to make the longer journey.
In emergency situations, firms face an even longer diversion of nearly 100 miles if both bridges are unavailable to HGVs.
National Highways, which is responsible for the bridges, said: “Safety has to be our number one concern, and we are working to protect the M48 Severn Bridge for many years to come.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, added: “We meet regularly with National Highways to ensure the impact on Welsh communities is kept to a minimum.”
Time and money
Ian Jarman, the Welsh chair of Logistics UK and part of the management team at Owens Group, said the decision will cost firms time and money in an industry that already operates on slim margins.
He said:“ There were a number of things they could have done, and they’ve gone for the weight limit. But they could have done single-file traffic. They could have looked at other options that would have held up commuters.
“So business has been targeted again and hit with the brunt. It [will cost] time and money going from the old Severn Bridge to the [Prince of Wales Bridge]. We’ve got vehicles operating in the area daily. It’s just now more time and money.”
It’s estimated that around 3,200 vehicles will be forced to use the diversion along the Prince of Wales Bridge every day for the up to 18-month period while the remediation work is carried out.
But firms have raised concerns over what happens when the Prince of Wales Bridge is closed due to an emergency and there is not enough time to convert the Severn Bridge into a single-lane road.
Ian continued: “What [Highways England] has said is: if there’s going to be a closure of the Prince of Wales Bridge and it’s planned, they will allow single-file traffic to go across the old Severn Bridge.
“However, if there’s an emergency—high winds, a road traffic collision, or ice on the bridge, which we had a few years ago during the winter—the diversion is up from the M50 and back down the A449, which is a diversion just short of 100 miles.
“When you think a vehicle does on average about 10 miles per gallon, you’re looking at 10 gallons of fuel. So all of a sudden, you’re looking at a diversion cost and time of, in fuel alone, probably in the region of about £60 to £70.
“And also, on top of that, you’ve got wages for the driver. And this will directly affect people in emergency situations because of the regulations that we work to, like driver’s hours.”
National Highways response
Chris Pope, Programme Delivery Manager for National Highways, said: “We have been forced to introduce this weight restriction to ensure the future of the bridge. It was not designed and built for today’s levels or weight of traffic. Vehicles have got heavier and traffic levels have increased significantly over the last 60 years, putting greater load on the cables.
“HGVs will usually be able to use the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, which is a diversion of 14 miles. If there are planned closures of that bridge, we will put additional control measures and monitoring in place to allow HGVs to use the M48 Severn Bridge.
“We appreciate that the diversion route is considerably longer if there is an unplanned closure of the M4 bridge, but safety has to be our number one concern and we are working to protect the M48 Severn Bridge for many years to come.”
‘Negative Impact on the Welsh Economy’
In 2019, the Welsh Government scrapped plans to build a £1.6bn relief road along the M4 near Newport, which had been billed as a gateway to South Wales, due to the costs involved.
In lieu of a new road, a commission was set up to examine the issue of congestion around the M4 and how it could be eased.
This decision, made by then-First Minister and now Finance Cabinet Secretary Mark Drakeford, was highlighted by the Welsh Conservatives in a statement.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Sam Rowlands MS, said: “The Welsh economy is heavily reliant on the two Severn bridges, and this decision will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the Welsh economy.
“Businesses, hauliers, and commuters will all bear the brunt of increased congestion, particularly on the Prince of Wales Bridge, which is already struggling due to ongoing roadworks.
“If the Welsh Labour Government hadn’t scrapped the M4 relief road—after spending £157 million of taxpayers’ money on planning—it could have gone a long way toward alleviating these traffic concerns. The failure to implement this vital infrastructure project has left motorists and businesses without a crucial solution to manage growing traffic demands.”
Want more from Businessin Wales? Why not follow us on our socials
Listen to the Businessin Wales podcast
- YouTube
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- Audible
