Severn Bridge Phantom Hitchhiker
Motorists crossing the original Severn Bridge report picking up a hitchhiker who vanishes during the journey, part of a classic phantom hitchhiker tradition.
The original Severn Bridge, opened in 1966 to connect England and Wales across the Severn Estuary, has been the site of numerous phantom hitchhiker encounters over the decades. The classic phantom hitchhiker story follows a familiar pattern: a motorist sees a person standing by the roadside, usually near the bridge approaches, and stops to offer them a lift. The hitchhiker gets into the vehicle, sometimes engaging in conversation, sometimes silent. At some point during the journey across the bridge or shortly after, the motorist realizes their passenger has vanished without a trace, despite the car never having stopped.
The Severn Bridge phantom typically appears as a young person in modern clothing, though descriptions vary. Some witnesses report picking up a young woman in a white dress who asks to be taken across the bridge, then disappears from the back seat. Others describe a young man in casual clothes who gets in, thanks the driver, and then is simply gone when the driver glances in the rearview mirror. Several motorists report feeling a sudden chill in the car just before realizing their passenger has vanished, or noticing that the person cast no reflection in the mirror. The phenomenon has been reported consistently since the bridge’s opening, suggesting it may be connected to the bridge itself rather than any specific individual.
Some theories suggest the phantom hitchhiker is the spirit of someone who died on or near the bridge, possibly in a traffic accident or by suicide. The Severn Bridge has seen its share of tragedies, including numerous suicides over the decades, and several fatal accidents during its construction and operational life. Others believe the phantom is a residual haunting, a psychic imprint replaying endlessly. The phenomenon fits the broader pattern of phantom hitchhiker stories found around the world, particularly associated with bridges and dangerous roads. Whatever the explanation, the Severn Bridge phantom hitchhiker remains one of Wales and England’s most enduring roadside ghost stories, a modern urban legend that continues to be reported by bewildered motorists.