Severn study welcomed
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THE TWO major trade associations have welcomed the Government's proposals to start a feasibility study on a second Severn crossing.
The Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association said that Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley's statement (CM, February 11) would end some of the uncertainty about the future of the industrial link with South Wales.
The FTA said: "The announcement regarding the long awaited feasibility study will at last start to reduce the enormous preparation and planning timetable necessary for providing a further link across the Severn.
"This action is welcome confirmation of the Government's intention to maintain a good level of service for industrial traffic into and out of Wales."
It called on the Transport Secretary to ensure that all repairs are carried out with minimum interference to industrial traffic.
The RHA said that the £33m to be spent on strengthening the bridge over the next five to six years was good news, but traffic restrictions on the bridge to allow work to procede could still seriously impede progress of commercial vehicles.
It said that a correctly based study would show clearly the need for a new bridge or tunnel and that an improved route through Gloucestershire "cannot provide a suitable alternative to the existing bridge, which has been shown to be inadequate for present and future traffic."
The RHA asked the study group to view the idea of tolls on main arterial routes as a waste of time.