Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to collect any excess funds from the continuation of the Severn Bridge toll in 2018 beyond that which is expected to be spent on the necessary infrastructure for its eventual removal.

There are a number of costs in addition to those incurred by the Government during the concession period, which include decommissioning and cessation of tolling, toll booth removal, highways realignment and specialist resurfacing work. Based on analysis of past traffic flow, the revenue to be received from a charging before abolition at the end of 2018 is predicted to be sufficient to cover such costs.