The Prince of Wales Bridge, one of the most important infrastructure links between England and Wales, has a fascinating construction story that began in the early 1990s. Originally known as the Second Severn Crossing until its 2018 renaming, this engineering marvel represents a pivotal moment in Welsh transportation history.
Construction Timeline: The Key Dates
26 April 1992 – Construction officially began on what was then called the Second Severn Crossing.
Summer 1994 – A significant setback occurred when the bridge deck launcher fell on the Gwent viaduct, causing a 200-tonne bridge deck unit to crash onto the deck below. Despite this major incident delaying the project by ten weeks, the construction teams managed to complete the bridge on schedule two years later.
19 July 1995 – The final major construction milestone was reached as the last bridge sections were installed.
5 June 1996 – Prince Charles officially opened the bridge, marking the completion of four years of intensive construction work.
The entire project took just over four years from groundbreaking to opening, an impressive achievement considering the engineering challenges involved.
Why Was a Second Bridge Needed?
To understand when and why the Prince of Wales Bridge was built, we need to look back at the original Severn Bridge. The first Severn Bridge, a suspension bridge, opened in 1966 carrying the M4 motorway between England and South Wales. By 1984, traffic had tripled, and projections showed the old bridge would be running at full capacity by the mid-1990s.
In 1984, a comprehensive study was commissioned to explore solutions – either a second bridge or a tunnel. The consultants reported back in 1986, recommending a new bridge be built downstream from the existing crossing.
The Private Partnership Approach
In 1988, the government announced an innovative approach: private consortia would be invited to fund, build, and operate the bridge. The winning consortium would also take over management of the original Severn Bridge along with its £100 million debt.
Tenders were invited in 1989, and in 1990, the concession was awarded to Severn River Crossing plc, a company led by John Laing plc and GTM-Entrepose. This public-private partnership meant the construction cost of £330 million (excluding VAT) would be recovered through toll charges collected from motorists using both bridges.
Engineering Challenges and Innovations
Building the Prince of Wales Bridge presented extraordinary engineering challenges:
The Severn Estuary Environment – The bridge crosses one of the world’s most challenging waterways, with the second-highest tidal range globally at 14 metres (48 feet). During rising and falling tides, currents reach speeds of up to eight knots, creating treacherous conditions for construction.
Innovative Construction Methods – Rather than building the bridge sections in place, engineers constructed sub-assemblies onshore. These massive components were then transported using a large tracked vehicle (similar to those used to move the Space Shuttle at Cape Kennedy) onto a barge called SAR3. The barge floated out on high tides to position each section precisely.
Foundation Work – The 37 bridge pier foundations on the approach viaducts are spaced 98 metres apart. Each consists of open concrete caissons weighing up to 2,000 tonnes, founded on the rock of the estuary bed. Specialist diving contractors worked in the harsh tidal conditions to prepare and install these foundations.
Wind Considerations – The bridge deck is 34.6 metres wide and includes distinctive 3-metre high baffles (wind screens) along both sides to reduce lateral wind loads from the mouth of the Severn River on traffic. These proved essential given the area’s frequent strong winds.
The Structure: What Was Built
The completed bridge is an impressive feat of modern engineering:
- Total Length: 5.1 kilometres (3.2 miles)
- Central Cable-Stayed Section (Shoots Bridge): 945 metres with a main span of 456 metres between pylons
- English (Gloucestershire) Viaduct: 2.3 kilometres with 25 spans
- Welsh (Monmouthshire) Viaduct: 2.27 kilometres with 24 spans
- Navigational Clearance: 37 metres above the highest tide level
- Road Width: 34.6 metres carrying six lanes (three in each direction)
The bridge forms a very slight “S” curve, with an approximately east-west alignment at each end and a WNW to ESE alignment through the central bridge section.
The Toll Era and Its End
When the bridge opened on 5 June 1996, tolls were charged westbound (entering Wales) to recover construction costs and maintain both Severn crossings. Initial prices in 1996 were modest:
- Category 1 (cars): £3.80
- Category 2 (small buses/vans under 3 tonnes): £7.70
- Category 3 (large buses/goods vehicles): £11.50
By 2017, these had risen significantly, with Category 3 vehicles paying £20 to cross. The tolls proved controversial, with many arguing they unfairly taxed Welsh economic activity.
In July 2017, the Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns announced that tolls would be abolished at the end of 2018, claiming this would boost the South Wales economy by around £100 million annually. On 17 December 2018, after 22 years of toll collection, the bridge became free to use. The concession period had ended, and both Severn crossings passed into UK Government ownership.
The 2018 Renaming
On 5 April 2018, coinciding with Prince Charles’ 70th birthday, the Second Severn Crossing was officially renamed the Prince of Wales Bridge. This decision recognised his contribution to Wales over 60 years as Prince of Wales, though it proved controversial with some Welsh politicians and residents who preferred the neutral geographical name.
Impact on Wales
Since opening in 1996, the Prince of Wales Bridge has fundamentally transformed connectivity between South Wales and the rest of the UK. Its more direct alignment with the M4 motorway reduces journey times compared to the original Severn Bridge route.
The bridge now carries more traffic than the first Severn Bridge, which remains in use on the M48. The toll abolition in 2018 had immediate economic benefits, reducing costs for businesses and commuters while symbolically removing a financial barrier to entering Wales.
Bridge Closures and Weather
Despite its advanced aerodynamic design making it far less prone to wind restrictions than the original Severn Bridge, the Prince of Wales Bridge has occasionally closed due to severe weather:
- 6 February 2009 – First closure since opening, due to falling ice hitting vehicles
- December 2009 – Closed again due to falling ice
- 18 February 2022 – Closed during Storm Eunice due to high winds (first wind-related closure)
- 7 December 2024 – Closed during Storm Darragh due to high winds
Electronic signs warn drivers when temporary speed limits are in place during high winds or thick fog.
Legacy and Future
The Prince of Wales Bridge, built between 1992 and 1996, represents one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Welsh history. Its construction demonstrated innovative engineering solutions to extreme environmental challenges while the public-private financing model became a template for future major projects.
Nearly 30 years after opening, the bridge remains a vital economic artery, carrying thousands of vehicles daily between England and Wales. Its toll-free status since 2018 has made it even more essential to Welsh connectivity and economic prosperity.
For travellers crossing between England and Wales today, it’s worth remembering that this seemingly permanent structure is relatively young. Built entirely within the 1990s using cutting-edge techniques that remain impressive decades later.