Further Landslip Delays A40 Road Reopening

FEAR of further landslips has meant a main road that has been partly closed for more than a month cannot yet fully reopen. 
Heavy rainfall caused rocks to crash onto the carriageway of the A40 at Ganarew, in Herefordshire, between Monmouth and Wilton on February 9. 
The road between the A466 at Monmouth and the A49 at Wilton partially re-opened on February 18 but one lane has remained closed, due to the debris, and a temporary 40 mile per hour speed limit has been put in place at the stretch close to a bend in the road. 
Monmouthshire County Council and National Highways, the trunk road agency for England, have now issued a joint statement on potential steps to ease delays while the restrictions remain in place on what is one of the main routes between Wales and England. 
The statement also explained that further surveys are needed before rocks can be cleared from the carriageway. 
Specialists at National Highways, and experts commissioned to help develop the work programme, have warned removing the fallen rocks could lead to further rockfall and landslips. 
It will provide details of the timelines for the works “as soon as possible” and says it is working with Monmouthshire Council and the South Wales Trunk Road Agency “to ensure the road closures necessary to safely carry out these works are managed as effectively as possible to minimise the impact on road user”. 
Businesses in Monmouth have complained of traffic pressures around the town as the closure due to the landslip has coincided with pre-planned works by Welsh Water to upgrade pipes in the area. 
Adjustments to existing traffic management arrangements in place due to the lane closure include reviewing the length and, or, location of the lane tapering and whether or not it could be moved past Dixton Roundabout, introducing a contraflow system and tweaks to signage. 
Monmouthshire Council previously requested the single lane traffic restrictions be relocated to the east of the Dixton roundabout which it said would ease traffic on the A40 and Wye Bridge. 
National Highways Head of Planning and Development, Victoria Lazenby, said patience while it works to solve the issue is appreciated: “Addressing the rockfall on the A40 is a high priority for National Highways in the Midlands and we have specialist teams working hard to develop and design a resolution to this issue. 
“This is a complex issue and the safety of road users and road workers is of paramount importance when considering the options.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​