A483 improvements should help with traffic congestion, says AM

Assembly Member Ken Skates said he is hoping the Welsh Government will examine ways of easing traffic at the A483 junction with the A5 at Chirk.

Mr Skates, AM for Clwyd South, has written to Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart to ask whether there are any plans to alleviate congestion at that point.

"There have been problems there for a long time," he said.

"And I know the traffic can be extremely frustrating for many of my constituents.

"The Chirk McDonald's is one of the busiest in Britain and the roundabout acts as an entry point to the Dee Valley, as well as one of two access points for Chirk, so congestion at rush hour can be considerable.

"It's a primary route from north to south and would certainly benefit from traffic alleviating measures.

"Any potential for improvements could be considered, including longer dual entry routes on to the roundabout."

Mr Skates' comments follow calls by his Westminster counterpart, Susan Elan Jones MP, to improve safety along the route from Gledrid to Ruabon.

And last week North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson called for the stretch to be made a dual carriageway, improving safety and easing congestion.

The A483 between the Gledrid roundabout near Oswestry and the Halton roundabout near Chirk is well known as a local accident blackspot, with several fatalities and serious incidents in recent years.

The most recent serious incident occurred last month when two brothers who were driving in a tractor were left perilously close to the edge of the bridge across the River Ceiriog following a crash.

Whenever an accident takes place along that stretch of the A483 which closes the road, traffic has to be diverted though Chirk, causing long tailbacks.

Responsibility for the maintenance of the road, which crosses the border between English and Wales when it crosses the river, is split between the Welsh Assembly and the Department for Transport.