THE seven-month closure of one lane on the Old Severn Bridge should be treated as a wake-up call to its long-term future, says a Plaid Cymru candidate.

Welsh Assembly Monmouth constituency candidate, Jonathan T Clark says a possible solution to the problem of traffic from across both counties relying on the bridge is build a joint road and rail bridge across the Severn, near Lydney.

He said: “This bridge could provide a partial solution to the chronic traffic congestion in Chepstow and also provide a much-needed shorter, more direct rail route to the east as well as deal with, as yet, unaddressed problems of the ageing Severn Tunnel.  

“This solution is wholly in England it would provide a more accessible route to Bristol and the M5/M4 to commuters and businesses based in south east Wales – it would also, in my opinion, stand a much better chance of being funded by an increasing London-centric Westminster parliament. 

“I have long stated that the National Assembly should have control of the Severn Bridges, it should also be directly involved in any discussions about the future of the old Severn Bridge as well, as the record shows that successive Westminster governments have consistently failed to protect our interests.”

His suggestion comes in response to news the old Severn Bridge has been reduced to one lane until October for an inspection of the suspension cable.

He said: “The announcement that there will be lane closures on the old Severn Bridge until the autumn should be a wake-up call to the bridge’s long-term future. The old Severn Bridge opened in 1966 and is nearly 50 years-old – it won’t be around forever.

“At this moment in time I cannot envisage any Westminster government, or even a government in Cardiff Bay, agreeing or funding a replacement bridge. The closure of the old Severn Bridge will directly impact on commuters and businesses in south east Monmouthshire, the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean and south west Gloucestershire who use the old bridge to travel to and from work and to trade. 

“If there is not, be another Severn crossing to replace the original Severn crossing, then we will be back to having only one Severn crossing. Changes will then need to made to the existing M48/M4, including an M48 junction for Caldicot, and a direct feed into the eastbound M4 this side of the current Second Severn Crossing.

“A possible solution to this potential transport bottleneck may be the construction of a joint road and rail bridge across the Severn, near Lydney.”