HIGHWAYS England could revamp its website and bring back updates about traffic information on the Severn bridges, Monmouth MP David Davies has said.

The original Severn bridges website was decommissioned in May 2019 following removal of the tolls.

Road users are now directed to the Traffic England website.

But after looking at customer feedback, Highways England told Mr Davies the website “doesn’t allow for the status of the Severn bridges to be easily accessed”.

In a letter to the MP, who had called for an urgent rethink, the firm's operations executive director Nick Harris said: “We took the decision to close the Severn bridges website, as its main purpose was to help customers manage their TAG accounts.”

He added: “In hindsight, we had underestimated the usefulness of this website to road users in the area and the impact its closure would have had in terms of journey planning.”

Mr Harris said Highways England was “considering developing a new Highways England website.

“This would display the bridge information in a clearer and more user-friendly way,” he said in his letter to Mr Davies.

Reacting to the news, Mr Davies said: “Ultimately the bridges are now being paid for by the taxpayer, so the taxpayer has a right to know when the crossings are going to be closed.

“Before, it was easy to see the status of both bridges with a couple of clicks. People could plan ahead and avoid unnecessarily long diversions, which have an impact on the environment and the economy.

“I am pleased Highways England has recognised the importance of effective communication considering the bridges are a key strategic route linking south Wales to London and the West Country.”