'Dangerous' Old Colwyn road 'needs widening'

Dec 2 2010 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

Campaigners at Dolwen Road, Old Colwyn

RESIDENTS living in Old Colwyn fear someone will be killed on a hazardous road if the council don’t widen the street.

Pedestrians have highlighted the dangers of walking on Dolwen Road as there isn’t a pavement on an area of the stretch, despite it being used as a regular route by lorries and trucks.

The former Clwyd County Council used a compulsory purchase order in 1995 to buy areas of residents’ gardens so a pavement could be laid on each side of Dolwen Road. However since taking over in 1996 Conwy County Council says it hasn’t had the funds to carry out the work.

The danger spot is at the point which Dolwen Road meets adjoining Llanelian Road. The road is also on-route to a nearby heavy goods vehicle night parking spot.

Now residents living on the road are demanding the council finish the work and lay a pavement before someone is killed or seriously hurt.

Brian Anstey, 73, has lived on the road for seven years.

“My wife can’t go out without a wheelchair, I will not take her out on that road,” he said.

“The road is dangerous, this particular stretch of road is approached by two full width roads complete with pavements on each side, on one direction the approach is down a steep hill.

“When you drive out of your drive you are coming out blind in most cases. Because it is so narrow pedestrians, or people with prams, or children are at risk, the only way to avoid an accident is to step on people’s property. I know one woman who was hit by a wing mirror, someone could be killed, the council recognises it is dangerous, that was their justification for the compulsory purchase order.”

Richard Oliver, 64, has lived on Dolwen Road with his wife Margaret, 59, since April and complains Conwy won’t even maintain gardens they now own.

“I think the road wants doing as it’s lethal, there is a farmer who has a licence for heavy goods vehicles parking overnight so there is lorries coming through regularly,” he said.

“Especially since it is quite an elderly population; people who walk on the road have to dart on and off the road into gardens and you can’t walk on the road safely. This has been on-going for years. The council own the land but won’t take responsibility for cutting the hedge. It needs sorting especially with the weather conditions, and with the compulsory purchase orders people can’t move on with their lives- people’s land is in limbo.”

Fellow resident, Wendy Williams added: “The council won’t even put sleeping police men in to stop speeding. They purchased the land a long time ago, it has been on-going for 15 years- it’s time they finished the job.”

Gwyn Hughes is head of operations highways and infrastructure at Conwy County Council and commented: “The project to widen Dolwen Road was initiated by Clwyd County Council and a compulsory purchase order was confirmed on 7 December 1995 for the land required for the widening.

“Conwy County Council has made bids for grant funding from various funding bodies over the intervening years and we will continue to seek funds for the scheme through whatever opportunities are open to us.

“Arrangements have been made to cut the hedges on both sides of the road. The work will be carried out this financial year.”