Options examined at ‘dangerous’ road
A NUMBER of options are being looked at in a bid to make one of the most dangerous stretches of road and roundabouts in Wales safer.
Cross Hands roundabout, between Carmarthen and Pont Abraham in Carmarthenshire, has long been complained about as a crash hot-spot and in recent years was revealed to be the third most dangerous roundabout in Wales, according to the Department for Transport.
More than a year ago, the Welsh Government commissioned a study into the safety of the roundabout and the A48 that connects Cross Hands to Carmarthen. That stretch of road, measuring just shy of 12.5 miles, has previously been labelled “a disgrace” by a local councillor after a number of crashes in quick succession – one day in 2018 saw six in the space of a few hours.
It is always a very busy road as it is the main carriageway between the M4 – which starts at nearby Pont Abraham – and the more westerly parts of South Wales including Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
Approaching Cross Hands roundabout from Carmarthen, the A48 dual carriageway splits from two lanes into three, while the speed limit reduces from 70mph to 30mph. Travelling along that eastbound stretch, there are nine turn-offs and junctions, the vast majority of which do not have slip roads or slip lanes to make turning off easier.
There are also seven lay-bys on the eastbound stretch, two bus stops, and eight points where you can legally cross the opposite carriageway.
Travelling on the westbound stretch, from the roundabout towards Carmarthen, there are eight turn-offs or junctions, only two of which are preceded by slip roads.
There are also six laybys on this section, two bus stops, and seven opportunities to cross over the eastbound carriageway.
A part of this side of the carriageway currently has a 50mph limit due to roadworks, but the national speed limit of 70mph normally applies, before a 40mph limit comes into place as you approach Pensarn roundabout in Carmarthen.
The carriageway between Carmarthen and Cross Hands has long been complained of locally as a stretch which is regularly the scene of crashes, with Carmarthenshire councillor Alan Speake calling three years ago for “the whole section to be investigated”. That was after one particular day when there were five collisions on the road within an hour of each other.
In light of this, we obtained statistics from Dyfed-Powys Police which revealed that, in the space of 10 years, there had been almost 900 crashes on the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands and the adjoining four miles east to the next roundabout at Pont Abraham.
Of the 871 collisions, more than 200 of them resulted in injuries, with 11 people losing their lives as a result.
The Welsh Government has now said that a Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance ( WelTAG) Stage 1 study has been completed, with a number of improvements recommended. Those improvements have been grouped into four packages:
■ A48 Cross Hands Pensarn
■ A48 Public Rights of Way
■ Cross Hands roundabout
■ Pensarn roundabout As part of that advanced study, reducing the speed limit from 70mph, or introducing an average speed system like the one seen on the M4 in Port Talbot, are two options which are being considered.
However, the Welsh Government has admitted that “at this stage it is not thought there will be any detailed modelling of this to measure”.
There are no plans in place to expand the size or width of the road, but other options to improve safety are on the table, with studies said to be “at an early stage” with regards to the possibility of blocking off any of the exits on Cross Hands roundabout and diverting traffic to and through other roads.
With regards to the number of junctions and cross-over points on both sides of the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands, the government has stressed that this particular course of action is considered a “route priority”.
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Government said: “Gap closures are being considered along the corridor as well as ‘grade separated’ junction options at Nantycaws, which would offer a safe turning point along the A48 and help minimise impact on those who currently use the crossing points.”
This year has already seen a number of crashes on the road, with two elderly people taken to hospital last month with serious injuries after a crash a couple of miles to the east of Cross Hands roundabout.
Meanwhile, a woman and child were taken to a Cardiff hospital with serious injuries after a fourvehicle crash just outside Carmarthen in January.
The recent bank holiday weekend also saw huge tailbacks and congestion on the eastbound stretch of the dual carriageway as scores of people battled the wet weather on their return from breaks in West Wales.