Severn bridges public handover 'being held up'

The handover of the Severn crossings to public ownership is being held up, the Commons has been told.

The M48 Severn Bridge and M4 Second Severn Crossing were due to be handed over by April 2018 after building cost debts are repaid to a private company.

But Severn River Crossing boss Philip Smith told the Welsh Affairs Committee he was awaiting policy decisions to push the plans forward.

In his budget in March, the chancellor said tolls would be halved in 2018.

Mr Smith told MPs during a meeting on Monday that they had only a few months before needing to reach main agreements.

"It's problematic at the moment. We seem to be in a position where we're waiting for policy decisions and until policy decisions are made then there's no progress on the detail of the handover."