|
Petition Number: P-06-1487
Petition title: Provide a pedestrian crossing on A4042 Llanover; make safe for bus users and reduce the speed limit.
Text of petition: The busy A4042 runs directly through the heritage village of Llanover. Residents and visitors need to cross the road to use the bus service, access the amenity of the Mon and Brecon Canal and visit the renown Llanover Gardens which open to the public at intervals through the year. The speed limit is currently 40mph. Residents of all ages do not feel safe to use the bus service. The village attracts visitors at all times of the year. The bus stops are located near to the garden entrance. Llanover is a Monmouthshire village steeped in Welsh history. The character of this village can be envisaged through its street scene. The road that goes through it is winding. The buildings themselves are characterised by the walls that bound them. Each building is unique. Llanover House and gardens is also bounded by stone walls. SWTRA have recognised the danger in this twisty road that is bounded on both sides by stone walls and have double white lined the carriageways to discourage overtaking. The speed limit remains at 40 mph. The bus stops are located near the gates to Llanover gardens. Traffic enters the village from the south where the National Speed limit applies - often without slowing sufficiently. The speed limit changes down to 40mph only c.100 metres from the bus stops. This is where a crossing is most needed and would be the logical location. Large lorries and tractors pass through the village. The walls have a funnelling effect and the backdraft is significant. |
The Welsh Government is the highway authority for the A4042 trunk road in south Wales. The South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA) has responsibility for the day to day operation and maintenance of the road.
The petitioner says that SWRTA has “recognised the danger” on this “twisty road bounded on both sides by stone walls” on the A4042 through Llanover. The petitioner also highlights that pedestrians are required to cross the road to access the local bus stop and that the speed limit only reduces from the national speed limit a short distance from the bus stop.
In his letter to the Chair dated 5 December 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates MS says “road safety is a priority for the Welsh Government”.
He states an initial meeting has been arranged to discuss the concerns raised, after which he will be in a better position to comment.
The Welsh Government published its Road Safety Framework in 2013 which set three targets to improve road safety so that by 2020, compared to the baseline average for 2004-2008, there would be:
§ 40% fewer people killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads;
§ 25% fewer motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads; and
§ 40% fewer young people (aged 16-24) killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads.
The road safety framework was reviewed in 2018. The current National Transport Delivery Plan commits to:
… review our road safety framework to support our Vision Zero approach to road safety, based on the belief that no death or serious injury is acceptable on roads. This will support the delivery of our legal obligations on accessibility and safety as a highways authority and complement our work on active travel, road space reallocation and speed limits.
The timescale for the update is given as “2022 to 2024”and a Welsh Government consultation on the new strategy closed on 31 January 2024. In November 2024, the Cabinet Secretary told the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure (CCEI) Committee that publication of a new strategy had been delayed as:
…we're also in discussions with the UK Government over their proposals for a road safety strategy for England. So, we want to make sure that we have consistency across the border wherever possible when it comes to road safety, so those discussions are ongoing at this moment in time.
The Welsh Government is currently updating its 2009 guidance on Setting Local Speed Limits in Wales in light of its 20mph speed limit policy as well as other policies such as Net Zero Wales and the Wales Transport Strategy.
In a paper provided to the CCEI Committee in November 2024, the Cabinet Secretary referred to a review of speed limits on the trunk road network that is underway. He also told the Committee:
…we're also looking at the possibility of having buffer speed limits…there are some sections where you can travel at the national speed limit and then you immediately enter 20 mph. So, we're looking at whether buffer speed limits should be incorporated.
However this review relates to roads where the speed limit is either 20mph or 30mph and therefore does not appear to include this section of the A4042.
While the Committee has previously considered petitions relating to other sections of the A4042, concerns regarding this specific location do not appear to have been raised in the Senedd to date.
|
Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this briefing is correct at the time of publication. Readers should be aware that these briefings are not necessarily updated or otherwise amended to reflect subsequent changes. |