Llanrwst town brought to a standstill due to roadworks

Mar 18 2010 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

Llanrwst traffic

A CONWY Valley town is at a standstill this week after major resurfacing work gridlocked the roads.

Llanrwst is no stranger to traffic problems, and is now suffering from multiple tailbacks on its narrow streets after scheduled resurfacing work by the Welsh Assembly started at the weekend.

Drivers on the A470 trunk road now face the misery of delays from traffic jams and tailbacks for the next two weeks, with work scheduled to end on Thursday, April 1.

Residents and councillors from the historic market town say they are frustrated and concerned as a series of temporary traffic signals are bringing traffic to a standstill and roadwork warning signs are forcing pedestrians off the pavements.

Mayor Pat Rowley said she was worried about the heavy traffic during peak travelling times.

She said: “I believe the resurfacing work started on Sunday.

“Traffic is particularly heavy during the school run time and today the temporary traffic lights have been from Parry Road to Ancaster Square – that’s a considerable distance to disrupt traffic flow.”

She added: “I can't understand why the main street is been targeted when there are more pot holes on the side streets in Cae Felin and Cae Tyddyn, and I don’t remember when Llwyn Brith Road was last resurfaced."

Business owner Terrance Jones of Menyn’s complained that three of his school contract taxis had been delayed due to the resurfacing work.

“It’s not fair on the children if they are turning up late for school,” he said.

“This work is causing massive tailbacks right the way through the town and there is no other way round, it’s a terrible inconvenience for all the people who live and work here or have to commute through.”

Resident and road safety campaigner Steve Rowlandson said the roadworks are blocking pavements.

“There are so many roadwork signs blocking the pavements that pedestrians have nowhere to go,” he claimed.

“In some ways it’s good that the town is so busy as it slows the traffic down.

“But Llanrwst is just a chicane on the A470. The Welsh Assembly doesn’t care about the people living here, they just care about how quickly they can get traffic to Cardiff.”

The Welsh Assembly highways department was unavailable to comment at the time of going to press.

samantha.castle