Cleddau Bridge tolls to end in April as £3m deal struck

A deal to scrap tolls on a road bridge in Pembrokeshire has been agreed between the county council and the Welsh Government.

Cars are currently charged 75p each way to cross the A477 Cleddau Bridge which links Pembroke Dock with Neyland.

The plan to scrap the tolls from 1 April was revealed in October.

The independent led-council has now received written confirmation it will get £3m a year to cover maintenance costs and loss of income.

Councillor Paul Miller, cabinet member responsible for the economy, told his colleagues he was "very pleased to finally report some tangible progress".

"The tolls have been an unwelcome barrier to trade in Pembrokeshire and this is a very positive development for the county," he said.

A one-off payment by the Welsh Government for staffing changes and the cost of removing toll booths has also been agreed, with statutory notices due to be issued to those affected, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Council leader David Simpson apologised to staff left waiting for details following the Welsh Government's unexpected announcement on scrapping the tolls in October last year.

"I'm very pleased that the tolls are going - it will be a great boost to the economy of the county," he said.

"I'd like to thank the staff of the bridge for the work they have done over the years but I hope they understand now that our hands were tied here."

It is expected that some of the 26 staff concerned will be redeployed while others will be made redundant, although maintenance staff will not be affected.

The Labour-led Welsh Government had been accused by Conservatives of being slow to act on the Cleddau Bridge tolls, while urging the UK government to scrap tolls on the Severn Bridges - which were lifted in December.