Tories in the Welsh assembly proposed cutting the bridge tolls and using the proceeds to spend on infrastructure.

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Funding for the new bridge has come from the Welsh Assembly Government, Sustrans, the Cardiff Harbour Authority, along with Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan councils.

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Even the new quake-proof span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was built in China and floated over for assembly stateside.

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When the Queen came to Wales in May that year to officially open the assembly building in Cardiff Bay, Prince Philip called in at Cleddau Bridge to see how customer calls from across the UK were handled.

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