Residents across Wales have raised concerns about road safety and congestion piling up after a ban on Heavy Goods Vehicles using the M48 Severn Bridge has resulted in thousands of lorries being diverted through Welsh towns.
The 60-year-old suspension bridge connecting Wales and England has been subject to weight restrictions since late May, preventing vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes from crossing due to concerns about stress on the supporting cables.
The restriction affects approximately 3,200 lorries daily that previously used the crossing, forcing them to take alternative routes through communities ill-equipped to handle such traffic volumes.
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Local authorities have now reported significant increases in HGV movements through towns like Caldicot, where narrow residential roads with 30mph speed limits are now carrying 40-tonne vehicles originally destined for the bridge.
Labour councillor Tony Easson, who represents Caldicot’s Dewstow ward, has documented the dramatic increase in lorry traffic using his vehicle’s dashcam.
“The lorries are using the B4245 to and from the M4 at Magor to Severnbridge Industrial Estate,” Mr Easson told the Monmouthshire Beacon, describing footage he captured while driving through the town around 3.30pm on a Thursday in early August.
The B4245, despite being designated as Caldicot’s bypass, runs through residential neighbourhoods with single lanes in each direction.
Mr Easson expressed alarm at the current congestion levels, warning: “It was quite congested, and if that is the scene now, the situation when the schools are back will be quite intolerable.”
The weight restriction has forced the larger vehicles to travel through smaller towns
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PAHis dashcam recordings showed 40-tonne lorries navigating the residential route, highlighting the scale of vehicles now using roads unsuitable for heavy freight traffic.
National Highways data revealed that approximately 32,000 vehicles traverse the Severn Bridge each day, with HGVs comprising roughly 10 per cent of this traffic.
The weight restriction means these 3,200 HGVs must now use the M4’s Prince of Wales bridge instead, adding a 13-mile diversion for lorries travelling from Chepstow.
This rerouting has created bottlenecks at Junction 23 near Magor and increased pressure on approach roads already struggling with motorway-related congestion.
The detour particularly affects businesses on industrial estates near Chepstow, which were strategically located for convenient bridge and motorway access.
Monmouthshire County Council and local representatives had warned about potential economic consequences when the restriction was first announced, citing the impact on firms dependent on efficient transport links.
The council confirmed it is collaborating with National Highways and the Welsh Government’s trunk road agency to reduce the effects on local infrastructure.
A council spokesperson stated: “We are actively monitoring the network, especially around Magor Junction and the B4245, and are reviewing the data.”
The bridge will be closed for roughly 18 months while crucial repair works get underway
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NATIONAL HIGHWAYSThe official diversion route for HGVs accessing Chepstow and New House Farm follows the M4 to Magor Junction before joining the M48, while lorries heading to Severn Bridge Industrial Estate must use either the A48/B4245 or B4245 routes through the county network.
During a council meeting before the weight limit took effect, National Highways manager Ian Thompson indicated that financial support for resurfacing Welsh roads affected by increased traffic could be considered, though he clarified: “I’m not promising any funding, I’m not in a position to do that.”
The weight restrictions are anticipated to continue for between 12 and 18 months while engineers develop interim measures for managing heavy vehicle crossings on the bridge.
This extended timeframe has prompted calls from local politicians for immediate action to address the strain on residential roads.