Carmarthenshire County Council has welcomed the proposals by the Welsh Assembly Government to ban vehicles from making right-turns at the Cwmgwili junction of the A48.
The local authority had lobbied WAG and council executive board member for highways Cllr Haydn Jones had written to Transport Minister and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones on the issue.
Now the Transport Minister has responded saying that the Cwmgwili junction is a high priority and asking the council to use its powers and procedures to bring in Traffic Regulation Orders to allow the dangerous right-turn manoeuvres into and out of the junction to be prohibited.
As soon as these orders are made WAG will then introduce physical changes and modifications to the junctions to make these Traffic Regulation Orders self enforcing.
The Cwmgwili junction, where there have been two recent fatal accidents involving right-turn manoeuvres across the central reserve, will be treated as priority in a safety review of junctions on the A48.
The review covers the 15 miles of the A48 dual carriageway between Pont Abraham and Carmarthen, which has 36 junctions.
Subject to the approval of traffic orders and the starting of works at the junction, the closure of the Cwmgwili junction could be in place by autumn 2010.
The council’s executive board has already agreed to work in partnership with WAG and meetings are being arranged to take the matter forward.
The physical work at the site will be carried out through the South Wales Trunk Road Agency on behalf of WAG.
Cllr Haydn Jones said: “We welcome this decision by the Deputy First Minister to accelerate the work to improve safety on the A48 between Pont Abraham and Cross Hands. It follows lobbying by county councillors and the general public for prompt action.”
Cllr Clive Scourfield, who represents the neighbouring Gorslas ward, said: “I very much welcome the decision by the Transport Minister. I lost two very good friends at the junction this year and do not want to see it happen again.”
