IF you live in Somerset and drive to work in Wales every day, you'll be £286 better off this year.

That's because the cost of driving over the two Severn Crossing bridges drops from £6.70 to £5.60 from next Monday (January 8).

And there's even better news next year - the toll will be scrapped altogether.

The change comes as it emerges that:

  • commuters using the Severn Crossing on weekdays are currently spending £1,742 on average, but this is set to drop to £1,456.
  • 25 million vehicles use the bridges every year, raising £167.5 million in revenue in the last year alone.
  • one in seven (14%) would consider moving or getting a job over the border once they are reduced or scrapped.

As it stands, the average driver in the South West goes over and back just five times in 12 months.

And one in 10 (9%) admit they take a longer detour to avoid paying the current bridge tolls, while one in seven (14%) says they will use the bridges more once the tolls are reduced.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, says: “The two Severn Crossings have been money-making machines for many years, but from January they will be going the opposite way.

"Drivers who commute over the bridges every day will save almost £300 over the year, which is a step towards reducing their motoring costs.

“Lowering the price of the bridge tolls could provide a boost for the local economy, and it is also a huge win for drivers in the surrounding regions.

"The cost of motoring is on the up, with car insurance expected to be the most expensive on record in 2018, and fuel price increases week on week.

"But the toll cut is a positive step forward in making it more affordable for drivers.”