Work to remove tolls on both the bridges crossing the River Severn into Wales will begin next month.

Both the Severn Bridge and Prince of Wales Bridge will be free to travel on from Monday, December 17.

Changes to the routes will be made so drivers will no longer have to stop to pay the toll.

Hannah Milliner, Severn Bridges general manager, said: “Work is needed to make sure that drivers can safely travel across the bridges without stopping to pay a toll, or waiting for a barrier to be raised.

"The weekend we have chosen avoids peak period traffic and also means the work will be complete so that drivers can make journeys free of charge over the festive period."

“We would like to thank drivers in advance for their patience while we carry out this work and to ask them to plan ahead for any journeys they are considering.”

From 9am on December 14 three lanes will be closed on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge to allow work to start.

At 8pm the Prince of Wales Bridge will be fully closed westbound and drivers will be diverted via the M48 bridge.

This will continue over the weekend of December 15 and 16, with the bridge running with three lanes closed from 6am to 8pm on Saturday and 6am to 7pm on Sunday.

Overnight the bridge will be fully closed westbound and drivers will be diverted via the M48 bridge.

On Monday 17 December, the Prince of Wales bridge will reopen with three lanes. These will be narrow lanes with a 50mph speed limit to ensure the safety of drivers.

Shortly after the Prince of Wales bridge reopens on December 17, the M48 bridge will be fully closed westbound, reopening on the morning of December 19 with two lanes with a 50mph speed limit.

Further work will be carried out in 2019 to return both routes to a three lane motorway with a 70mph speed limit.

For more information visit severnbridge.co.uk.