Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the outstanding level of public debt is in relation to the Severn bridges; and what the estimated operating and maintenance costs for those bridges are for each year between 2018 and 2022.

The accumulated deficit at 31st March 2017, as defined in the Severn Bridges Act 1992 Accounts is £93.3m. The 2017 accounts are currently being audited and therefore still subject to change.

The estimated operating and maintenance costs are:

The above figures are based on the concessionaires previous operating and maintenance costs, as Highways England only became responsible for the crossings on 8^th January 2018. Highways England is currently reviewing these costs and developing long term asset management plans.