Tolls on the Severn crossings will be abolished on Monday, December 17, the UK Government has announced.
Currently cars pay £5.60 to cross either the Prince of Wales Bridge or the original Severn Crossing. Small buses and vans pay £11.20 while lorries and coaches pay £16.70.
The UK Government said motorists who regularly use the bridge will save around £1,000 and that the toll scrapping will boost the Welsh economy by around £100 million a year.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns MP said: “It has long been my ambition to see the tolls abolished, doing away with a barrier that has hindered Wales’ economic prosperity for more than half a century.
“Today marks an important leap forward in Wales’ economic potential, increasing our appeal to external investors but also ensuring businesses, commuters and tourists on both sides of the border are no longer hampered by a fee restricting them from carrying out their everyday lives.
“Removing the tolls will cement the already strong ties between the economies and communities of South Wales and the South West of England, creating a growth corridor for prosperity to flourish from Cardiff, through Newport to Bristol and beyond.”
The Freight Transport Association in Wales, which lobbied for the tolls to be removed, welcomed the move.
Sally Gilson, FTA’s Head of Policy for Wales, said: “The Severn bridge tolls have served as a consistent barrier to economic growth and an unfair burden to both employers and employees alike as they cross between England and Wales.
“The removal of the tolls will provide a much-needed boost to logistics businesses in both the South West and South Wales, unlocking new potential for growth in the region and ensuring that businesses along the Severn estuary are able to trade effectively during a challenging economic climate.”