WHY, oh why are we still paying through the nose to cross the River Severn when users of the Humber Bridge are able to force cuts on the operators, or at least avoid toll rises?

Were it not for the fact that our money appears to be going to offshore investors, I would suggest this is an additional government tax on people and truckers in this area and in Wales in general.

The Assembly and the national government all wring their hands and say they are bound by a watertight agreement for quite a few years to come, but haven't we all heard that promises are made to be broken?

I agree that money is needed for operating costs and bridge maintenance – but the latter is bound to be far higher in cost terms by the time we 'get the bridges back'.

I wonder if we should not be more militant, like the French, with a bridge boycott or a traffic go-slow. With a boycott, traffic routed through Gloucester would soon become intolerable and communities all along the A48 would kick up a stink. That might concentrate a few minds!

– Irate bridge regular, Chepstow (name and address supplied).