Motorists caught in snarl-ups in Newtown were today urged to send their petrol receipts to the Welsh Assembly in a protest over controversial new traffic lights.

Newtown was turned into “one massive caravan park” this weekend as thousands made their way to the coast and the Royal Welsh Show, the town’s mayor said.

The plea comes after the Pool Road roundabout was dug up and replaced by traffic lights – leaving drivers queuing up to five miles out of the town as they wait for the four-way lights to change.

Now the town’s mayor Councillor Joy Jones is urging everyone who was left waiting in the massive hour-long queue to send their petrol receipts to the Welsh Assembly to ask for a refund.

She said: “Thousands of people were queueing to get into and get through Newtown this weekend with their caravans as they headed off to the coast.

Frightened

“It was like one massive caravan holiday park and I just don’t know what to do next I am at the end of my tether with it.

“It’s leaving me almost too frightened to leave the town because it will take me ages to get back in, so no wonder nobody is willing to come shopping to Newtown any more.”

She claimed that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cars “everyday just sat on the main road for up to an hour with their engines running”. She added: “I know personally my fuel bill has gone up, so I am proposing we all send our petrol receipts to the Assembly until they get rid of these traffic lights.”

Councillor Jones added: “What message does it send out as well — just think of all those carbon emissions harming the environment which we are meant to be cutting down on.

“We desperately need the roundabout back or the bypass built.”

A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly today said an announcement would soon be made about a preferred route for a bypass which would help ease traffic problems in the town.

More than 2,400 people have turned to social networking site Facebook to voice their concerns.

By Andrew Morris