Calls for safety measures on Llandudno road after latest accident

Oct 22 2009

CALLS have been made for a busy main road to be given an anti-skid surface after the latest in a long series of accidents.

Land owner Julia Brownsword says she has had to pay thousands of pounds to repair a stone fronting Colwyn Road in Craigside, Llandudno, between the Craigside Inn pub and the built-up area, after it was damaged in four different accidents.

And she said there have been many others over a period of years, including one fatality.

"Apart from other accidents on the opposite side of the road, I own the field between these two points and have for the fourth time had to spend over £1,000 on repairing the stone wall," she said.

"The last incident was when a Saab 900 was written off. A police vehicle has also been involved in an accident there.

"Why can’t an anti-skid surface be put down, as was done at the top of the road near Penrhyn Hill?"

Town councillor Brian Bertola, who lives close to the blackspot, said accidents were an ongoing problem.

"I have noticed there is new damage to walls on both sides of the road and can understand it is frustrating and expensive for the property owner to have to get them repaired," he said.

"I don’t think the crashes are due to excessive speed, but it is quite a steep road with a bend at that point and for some reason people are losing control of their vehicles.

"Perhaps a non-slip surface would be beneficial."

After a previous rash of accidents in 2006/07, Paul Evans, group engineer with Conwy County Council’s highways department, said excessive speed hadn’t been a factor in most of the accidents, and tests carried out on the road surface showed that it met safety criteria.

Residents on the road expressed concern that the 40mph speed limit was too high as there are several bends on that stretch.

But Mr Evans said imposing a 30mph limit might be difficult as for most of its length it doesn’t pass through a built-up area, so doesn’t fall within Government guidelines for the lower limit.