The Second Severn Crossing is to be renamed in honour of the Prince of Wales.
A ceremony will be held in south Wales on a yet-to-be-announced date this year to mark the rebranding, which is in honour of Prince Charles’s forthcoming 70th birthday in November and the 60th anniversary of the Queen creating him the Prince of Wales. His investiture took place at Caernarfon Castle in July 1969.
Welsh secretary Alun Cairns said: “I’m delighted to announce that with the agreement of the prime minister and Her Majesty the Queen, the Second Severn Crossing will be renamed the Prince of Wales Bridge.
.@AlunCairns announces that the renaming of the Second #Severn Crossing as the Prince of Wales Bridge will be officially marked at a ceremony which will be attended by Prince Charles later this year. https://t.co/ndWJv81TlB pic.twitter.com/jMCPuC8b2d
— UK Government Wales (@UKGovWales) April 5, 2018
“Renaming one of the most iconic landmarks in Wales is a fitting way to formally recognise his commitment and dedication to Wales and the UK as the Prince of Wales.”
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said: “Lower charges on the Severn bridges have already saved drivers more than £3 million – helping boost the economy in Wales and the south-west. This is a great way to usher in a new era for this iconic crossing.
NEWS: Drivers in Wales and SW England set to save as VAT lifted on Severn Tolls: https://t.co/WfpIR1jNlZ ?@HighwaysEngland @transportgovuk pic.twitter.com/S139bdik50
— UK Government Wales (@UKGovWales) January 8, 2018
“When the tolls are removed by the end of this year, more people will be able to take advantage of even more new job and business opportunities on both sides of the Prince of Wales Bridge.”
The £332m Second Severn Crossing, which was inaugurated by Prince Charles in 1996, was built in an effort to reduce traffic on its sister crossing, the Severn Bridge, which the Queen opened in 1966.
