Teen’s parents welcome road safety funding

THE parents of a teenager who died after crossing a major road have welcomed a £100,000 boost for safety.

Jon and Jo Rubery said they hope improvements to the A48 in Bridgend “will make the difference and nobody else will need to suffer or be impacted in the same way as we were”.

Their son Rhys, 16, died after he was in collision with a motorbike in July 2016.

The talented teenager from Pencoed, who was a keen hockey player, had been crossing with a group of friends on a section of the road where the speed limit is 60mph.

The inquest into his death heard the oncoming motorbike would have been masked by a car and Rhys would not have seen it.

Funding has been granted by the Welsh Government to Bridgend council, which will use it to prepare for future changes – including new pedestrian refuges – on the A48 between Waterton and Laleston.

A review of the speed limits on the stretch between the Ewenny and Broadlands roundabouts, where Rhys was hit, will also be carried out.

Jon said: “Obviously we are both delighted that the proposed scheme that Bridgend council has developed has got funding so the initial plans can start to go ahead. This can only be a positive thing as far as we are concerned. It’s got our full backing.

“Our hope is that this will make the difference and nobody else will need to suffer or be impacted in the same way as we were with Rhys’ death.

“We said at the time we just hope something positive comes out of it and this looks like this could be the first major step.”

The funding comes in the wake of a report by consultants commissioned by the council following Rhys’ death.

It recommended that the speed limit be reduced from 60mph to 50mph on that particular stretch of the road.

Bridgend council said the funding must be spent before April 1 and has become available following underspends on other projects around the country.

The council said although it was currently submitting a bid that will enable it to implement the road safety improvements in full, the Welsh Government placed the A48 scheme on a reserve list late last year in case funds became available in the meantime.

Proposed improvements include new pedestrian refuges at key points along the route, resurfaced footpaths, extended footway links, and new signage and road markings.

A council spokesman said the funding will be used for the formal design of the improvements as well as some contractual preparations and advance undergrowth clearance as well as the speed limit review.

The council-commissioned report also found there had been 32 collisions between 2011 and 2015, although most were minor and involved rear-end shunts between vehicles.

A total of 9% of the collisions were between vehicles and pedestrians, while three of the collisions were classed as fatal, seven as serious, and 22 as slight.

The accidents accounted for an aboveaverage casualty severity ratio of 23% but collision rates were less than the national average for corresponding types of road.

Bridgend council has also been allocated £75,000 for the widening of a section of the footpath on the northern side of Coychurch Road, vegetation clearance along the footway on the southern side, and enhanced lighting.