An Abergavenny resident says that vital improvements are needed on the infrastructure of a local road.
Over the last few years Pen-y-Pound road has seen traffic flow increase exponentially, and with construction work underway on the new King Henry VIII school, the road is being regularly used by contractors travelling in large industrial vehicles.
Now, residents have said that this heavy flow of traffic is damaging the layout and surface of the road and are calling for resurfacing work to fix the problem.
One resident has told of issues including flooding which they believe may have been caused by the surface of the road gradually giving away due to the high volume of vehicles using it.
The resident said: “Traffic on the road has trebled in recent months, and I have been forced on a number of occasions to put a plastic sheet over my front door as well as towels along the base to prevent water from entering my front room.”
They believe the issue has been further exacerbated by speeding drivers frequently ignoring 20mph speed limits on the road, adding: “This road and the pavements alongside were not built for this volume of traffic and vehicles and the infrastructure around it is suffering because of it.”
The resident claims that other local residents share these concerns and want more consultation with the council regarding improvements to the road.
Cllr Sara Burch is County Councillor for the Cantref ward of Abergavenny. She said: “I am very aware of the situation in Pen y Pound, and I’ve been trying to get something done about it since I was elected in May.
“The problems in Pen y Pound are longstanding, the road is narrow and is used by far more traffic than it was ever designed for, and unfortunately, in the short term the construction of the school is making things even worse.
“MCC has managed to secure funding for improvements to the pavements and routes to school alongside the new school build, and I’m hoping to get a meeting between the engineers designing the scheme and the residents who are most affected.
“We won’t be able to solve all the problems, but we can expect to improve things. I agree with residents that Pen y Pound needs resurfacing.”
Cllr Burch added that contractors building the new school have been reminded about the need to keep the road clear and ensure that construction traffic obeys the 20 mph speed limit and avoids times when the school buses are coming in and out.