Businesses give their thoughts on what should be done to improve road
IN THE third of a series looking at safety concerns on the A40 between Carmarthen and St Clears, transport firms and business give their thoughts on what should be done to improve the road.
The route is used by thousands of motorists as it is the main route connecting Carmarthen with communities further afield in West Wales, including many popular tourism spots in Pembrokeshire.
Between January 1, 2010, and August 31, 2019, there were 359 crashes on the stretch of road. More than a quarter of those resulted in injuries, while two people were killed.
However, local traffic and firms such as taxis and coaches have their own gripes with the eight-and-ahalf-mile length of road.
There are more than a dozen turn-offs on each side of the carriageway, most of which don’t have slip roads leading into them, despite the vast majority of the road being subject to the same speed limit as a motorway.
Travelling west from Carmarthen there are 16 junctions, not including opportunities to legally cross the opposite side of the carriageway, along with six lay-bys.
The eastbound stretch – heading away from St Clears – also has crossover points as well as 17 turn-offs, seven lay-bys and a bus stop.
Ffoshelig Coaches is based just off the eastbound carriageway on the outskirts of Carmarthen in an area known as St Peters, and its drivers must negotiate a junction directly off a small road onto the A40 on a daily basis.
The firm has been at the current depot for more than 20 years.
Director Rhodri Evans said: “As a rule we turn our coaches towards Carmarthen and turn around at Travellers Rest if we want to head west towards Pembrokeshire, it avoids our drivers having to cross the carriageways, it’s just a safety step we take.”
One of the major flaws, he argues, is the contradicting road signs along the road that present themselves to drivers depending on which direction you are travelling in.
Mr Evans said: “The problem is that its one rule for one side of the carriageway and not the other.
“On the eastbound carriageway going towards Carmarthen there is a no U-turn sign referring to the cross-over points, while traffic in the other direction heading west don’t have those signs.
“It leads to confusion I think, especially for those unfamiliar with the road.
“Over the years I’ve seen drivers doing U-turns on the carriageway opposite the junction which leads to our depot.
“I’ve even seen cars turn across the westbound carriageway and drive towards oncoming traffic to reach the petrol station.”
That petrol station is the Tenby Road Filling Station and temporary signage has been installed to inform drivers that it cannot be accessed from the westbound carriageway of the A40 after a fatal collision at the spot in October 2018 in which a four-year-old girl was killed.
Further solutions for this point of the carriageway are now being considered by Welsh Government.
When asked what steps the Welsh Government should be looking at to improve safety, Mr Evans said: “I wouldn’t have a problem with them closing some of the crossing points as long as there was a better system in place or even roundabout at the Meidrim junction. I think the U-turn signs need to be all updated on both sides of the road too.”
Another measure being explored by Welsh Government is the prevention of lorries parking on the boundary of the A40 at the Forge Restaurant, Lodge and Filling Station. The restaurant and adjacent Texaco petrol station on the westbound carriageway between Bancyfelin and St Clears, have been
owned by Pembroke Dock-based roadside retail specialists Ascona Group since April last year. They also own the Tenby Road Filling Station on the other side of the carriageway nearer Carmarthen mentioned earlier.
Ascona is in the process of applying for planning permission to improve safety at the Forge site which will include new dedicated HGV lanes.
Ascona said following the acquisition of the site, it came to its attention that a very small number of HGVS park temporarily on the boundary adjacent to the A40.
While this is not illegal, Ascona said it understands this is not ideal from a road safety and visibility perspective for vehicles driving onto the A40 from the Forge site.
As a result the firm has undertaken a pre-application consultation and hopes to lodge a planning application to Carmarthenshire Council for a major redevelopment of the site.
Ascona’s proposals include the provision of two new HGV lanes which will guide and filter the HGVS off the A40 around the rear of the current forecourt building, offering what it believes will be a much safer route for all HGVS.
The overall aim is to deliver a far safer access and egress onto the A40.
Ascona is currently in consultation with the county council and the South Wales Truck Road Agency.
While concerns are mainly focused on the slip roads and access to the A40, others argue there are other factors that need to be looked at and that are not necessarily along the route itself.
The Welsh Government report mentions the possibility of reducing speed to 30mph along the Lesneven Bridge which links the A48 Pensarn roundabout with the A40 roundabout.
The report states: “Existing road safety and speed limit concerns within the scheme area have been investigated as part of the Welsh Government’s nationwide Safety and Speed Limit Review.
“A range of proposals have been identified for further consideration.”
Along with the 30mph limit, other proposals are better signalisation of the A40 roundabout and improvements to the Johnstown slip roads.
Changes on Lesneven Bridge is something that has been called for by Ken Duxberry, owner of Chris Cars taxi firm and Coracle Coaches, but questions have been raised whether slashing the speed limit to 30mph on the bridge would help the local road infrastructure run smoother.
Mr Duxberry claims the traffic lights on the Pensarn A48 roundabout are not timed correctly and cause delays at peak times, especially over bank holidays and with summer traffic.
“The biggest problem affecting the A40 dual carriageway and the A48 at the Pensarn Roundabout is the traffic lights.
“They are timed badly and the congestion builds up there every day and then causes delays going across Lesneven Bridge and then that has a knock on effect on the A40 roundabout by B&Q.
“Traffic coming east on the A40 gets delayed at that roundabout too which causes tailbacks to Bancyfelin.
“The lights are causing delays over the bridge because the sequencing is wrong so reducing the speed on the bridge would be no help.
“I have had taxi drivers stuck in traffic for a long time with paying customers in the cabs, it’s not an ideal situation for anyone involved.
“Or just having to get from the Pensarn side of town to other parts of town for fares can take ages due to the delays the lights can cause, especially in summer with more traffic.”
He added: “I think in order to get traffic moving smoothly there needs to be a change to the slip road for Johnstown without people having to filter into it, it should be a whole lane to itself from the A40 roundabout, so you have the local traffic going into Johnstown and then the rest can use the dual carriageway.”
Next week we speak to the farming community on its concerns about the A40 and having to negotiate it as part of their everyday work.