P-06-1427 Create a sustainable traffic plan for the Rhiangoll Valley – Correspondence from the petitioner, 11 June 2024

Please find my response to the letter that relates to petition reference P 06 1427. 

Many thanks for the letter, we would like to make the following observations and requests:

While we understand that the limit was not lowered to 20 because it began at 40mph. The community cannot accept that 40mph through our village is a sustainable situation for the safety and well being of our residents. 40mph passed the place where our school bus drops off and young children cross the road on a daily basis, 40 mph passed our playground, church, village hall is completely unacceptable for residents in our village. We cant wait until the end of 2025 for a review of this situation, it needs urgent attention. There have been a number of near miss accidents recently, there is no safe crossing points in the village and we require some urgent action to change this.

While the residents of Cwmdu do appreciate that some of the issues in Tretower are different because of the drainage works, the vibration and noise issues are as relevant to the houses in Cwmdu as they are in Tretower. Cwmdu in fact has a playground, two businesses, a church and village hall on either side of the A479 and so arguably more urgent need.

The letter states that the A479 forms part of a strategic road network and that HGV’s can therefore be expected, but the residents still maintain that the road, and valley isn’t suitable for such heavy vehicles and specifically requests this to be reviewed. There are stages of the A479 on very steep topography and other sections with tight turns and the road remaining unrestricted is unacceptable to residents who try to use the same road for cycling and horse riding.

We look forward to the review of gosafe data and whether average speed camera’s will be considered, the valley lends itself well to the use of this technology.

The letter states that it looks forward to seeing proposals for the use of noise camera’s in the valley, but its not clear who will be bringing those proposals forward, surely this is not something that should fall to the community?

The letter also states that the local authority have a responsibility for production of safe and sustainable travel routes for the valley (cycle routes as an example). We also look forward to seeing this plan.