Calls for speed reduction on A485 due to safety concerns

Residents in a Ceredigion hamlet are having to lead aside from the front of their own homes to avoid vehicles on the main Tregaron-Aberystwyth road, a petition calling for a lower speed limit says. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ceredigion’s Cabinet, meeting on April 4, will hear a petition calling for a reduction of the speed limit on the A485 at Tynreithyn from 60 to 40mph. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A letter accompanying the petition, whose details are not recorded in public documents, says a temporary speed reduction during last year’s Eisteddfod at nearby Tregaron had improved safety. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am writing to ask you if you would kindly reduce the speed limit before my property and through Tynreithyn to 40mph; it is currently 60mph. This was introduced while the Eisteddfod was on in Tregaron and it made it much safer for us all. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I moved into the property above, in July 2022, and cannot count how many times that I have had near misses coming out of my drive due to the speed people travel on the road outside. The residents of the lane, next left from my property, have also explained that it is scary coming out of the lane and that their view is very often obstructed by people parking close to the junction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Outside of my property there is a ‘slow’ marked on the road because there are many concealed entrances and lanes coming off the hamlet of Tynreithyn. However, this seems to be totally ignored by motorists. The road through Tynreithyn itself is bending and there are many blind spots. We have a large number of HGV vehicles on the road as it is the main route to Aberystwyth. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I have heard a few scary stories of neighbours having to jump onto the grass from vehicles getting too close to them while they are trying to maintain their property boundaries and the grass verges outside of their homes, there have been two serious accidents here in the last two years and numerous other ones over time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There are very large farm vehicles using the road and lane and when they do, they take up the whole road. All of this is putting people at unnecessary risk; reducing the speed limit will help.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It is recommended Cabinet notes receipt of the petition, for further consideration by the relevant service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​