Following local complaints about a six-week road closure, Vale MP Alun Cairns has brought together a meeting of residents in Peterston-super-Ely, housing developer Acorn, the road-works contractor Walters and County Councillor Michael Morgan. The meeting was arranged to discuss the issues caused by the proposed closure and to find a suitable solution prior to the proposed start date, with work due to begin on 1st April.
The closure will be in place to widen the road at Sycamore Cross, improving access to the new housing development. However, locals are challenging the Vale Council on why the road is needed at all and argue that the community has not been consulted.
Local resident Gareth Hardman raised the matter with Mr Cairns, seeking his assistance with the issue of the closure. He said, “The impact of a 6 week total road closure at Sycamore Cross, of what is a vital road route to and from Peterston-super-Ely and the wider area, is causing real anger in the community. Concerns have been raised over the inevitable road chaos this will lead to, over the delays in getting students to school, over real fears about access by emergency services. The Vale Council have failed to explain why a wholly disproportionate road improvement is needed to service the needs of a relatively small new housing development. We are calling for an urgent review before this road closure starts on the 1st of April - with all the inevitable chaos this will create.”
There are significant concerns on access for emergency vehicles, which could be compromised by the road closure. A resident who is also a GP has commented, “It will impact on us getting to work, getting to housebound patients and also on patients getting to us. Ambulance calls get allocated on the closest available crew, so there is potential impact on ambulance times. The traffic at Cowbridge cross roads coming from the comp already gets tailbacks. Diverting traffic through Welsh St Donats will make that significantly worse.”
Much has also been made about the impact on pupils at the local primary school. One school employee commented, “This road closure will have a huge impact on local traffic. There are over 30 staff/parents using this road just to get to Peterston primary school. The surrounding lanes will be heavily congested. I live in Barry and work at the school and have had to contend with the five mile lane being closed for 12 weeks, which has not been easy.”
With the community feeling ignored throughout this process, Mr Cairns has committed to raising their concerns with the Vale Council with the hope of finding reasonable solutions. Mr Cairns said, “I recognise that that residents want answers from the Council on why this work is necessary. Any work that is taking place clearly needs to happen in a way that ensures that disruption is kept to an absolute minimum. There are significant concerns in the community about the impact of the closure and I’m keen to make sure that their voices are heard. I want to thank everyone who attended the meeting, including Acorn and Walters who were really helpful.”
