Plaid Cymru AM Chris Franks has raised concerns about the maintenance programme at the original Severn Crossing after figures revealed only a fraction of its revenue is devoted to it.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act by the Highways Agency show that Severn River Crossing plc, the company which oversees operations on both bridges, collected £225,733,000 from toll revenues in the three years from 2006.
Since 2006, the company spent £15m treating corrosion on the main cables at the M48 Severn Crossing. The treatment is projected to drop to £5.8m over the next five years.
As a result of corrosion of the main suspension cables, described as “significant” by the Highways Agency, vehicles weighing over 7.5 tonnes are limited to one lane in each direction on the older bridge. These current restrictions are proscribed under a low impact scenario. At the moment, the dehumidification system deployed to tackle the problem has been successful.
If matters do get worse, the next scenario – classed as ‘medium impact’ – would involve inspections identifying the cables have deteriorated but to a degree no greater than predicted. This could lead to traffic being limited to one lane in each direction and the removal of surfacing outside of traffic lanes to reduce the bridge’s load.
Under the third and final, ‘high impact’ scenario, which would see the bridge’s cables deteriorating ‘greater than predicted with significant further loss of capacity,’ the crossing could be closed to all traffic and decommissioned if remedial work is deemed too expensive.
Since receiving the information, Chris Franks, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central, has written letters to Philip Hammond, the Secretary of State for Transport, and Mike Penning, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, raising his concerns over the future of the original Severn Crossing.
Mr Franks said:
“I have serious concerns about the impact on the public purse once the two bridges are returned to public ownership which, I understand, is due to take place in 2016.
“Plaid has been informed that, since 2006, a total of £15m has been spent on main cable work on the first Severn Crossing and the Highways Agency is predicting further spending of £5.8m over the next five years. Since 2006, £225,733,000 has been collected in toll revenue.”
He added:
“Plaid is seeking assurances that any significant work that may be necessary on the first Severn Crossing takes place before the bridge is returned to public ownership.
“I do not believe it would be acceptable that a private operator, who has reaped considerable revenues and profits from the building of the second bridge, should be able to pass on significant future costs to public bodies.”
