Sometimes lorries can be seen as a nuisance on the roads, but we rely on them to access goods and services. Many haulage firms operate with small profit margins, so changes in traffic management can cause significant inconvenience and add on extra cost.

Earlier this year, the M48 Severn Bridge was closed to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and diverted to the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge instead. This is because a series of inspections revealed advanced corrosion in the thousands of steel cables which hold the suspension bridge up. The Bridge is 60 years old and despite dehumidifying machines reducing the risks, moisture has caused damage to the cables. In the long-term, the bridge will need additional cabling to be added to the bridge to make it more secure. The work would be far from simple - it would be a feat of engineering and incredibly expensive but the bridge cannot be allowed to decline.

That decision has put a strain on drivers, many of whom lose valuable time and face higher fuel costs taking a diversion on the M4 bridge. The arrangement to temporarily lift restrictions on the M48 when the M4 bridge is scheduled for maintenance is at least a sensible compromise. But what happens if the M4 bridge is closed unexpectedly? The answer is deeply unfair: HGVs would be forced to make a 100-mile detour around Gloucester via the M50 and M5.

National Highways are now closing parts of the M50 overnight for drainage improvements between July 2025 and April 2026. This means there could be circumstances where the M4 bridge closes due to an accident, the M48 cannot be used and the diversionary route around the M50 has its own diversions.

When I met with Hicks Logistics and the Road Haulage Association with my colleague, Cllr Lisa Dymock, at Severn Bridge Industrial Estate, their frustration was clear. These firms are already under immense pressure from rising costs, driver shortages and red tape. Every pallet of food in our supermarkets, every building material on our construction sites, every parcel delivered to our homes has been delivered. If we pile on unnecessary costs and delays, we all feel the impact.

That is why I am urging National Highways to rethink. Drainage works on the M50 may be essential, but they must be scheduled with hauliers in mind. There needs to be an absolute guarantee that the M50 remains open whenever HGVs are unable to use the Severn Bridges.