James Evans and Fay Jones have expressed their disappointment over news that the Welsh Government has no plans to improve safety on a “dangerous” stretch of road.

In a written question to the Transport Secretary Ken Skates on May 30, James Evans MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, asked for an update on the Roads Review Panel’s assessment of the A470 at Pontybat/Felinfach.

Mr Evans asked if there were any plans to proceed with safety improvements at the area, which has seen several collisions in recent years.

In his response, Mr Skates said officials had reviewed personal injury collisions for the last three years at the junction. But he said they found that collisions “have all been different in nature and there is no defining trend.”

The Road Reviews Panel therefore decided that a safety scheme for the junction should not proceed “because the case for change is weak.”

“This location does not meet our criteria for a detailed study, however, we will continue to monitor,” added Mr Skates.

He said that due to funding limitations, a “strict evidence-based approach” is used to ensure that money is spent to best effect.

This scheme was originally part of the Safe Overtaking Opportunities programme. It was raised as a possibility of improving safety at the junction and providing a safe opportunity to overtake in the westerly direction.

But now the Welsh Government has confirmed that no plans are in the pipeline.

In response to this answer, Mr Evans told the Brecon & Radnor Express: “It’s disappointing that the Roads Review Panel have concluded that the Pontybat junction of the A470 does not require any safety improvements, despite some of my constituents being involved in some serious incidents there.

“It’s telling that the Welsh Labour Government would rather spend millions on a failing Cardiff Airport but don’t want to spend money on places that vitally need it.

“I will continue to push for improvements to be undertaken to this dangerous stretch of road to ensure everyone travelling on this stretch of the A470 are not involved in any more serious incidents.”

Fay Jones, Parliamentary Conservative Candidate for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, added: “It is very disappointing to see that the Welsh Labour Government are sadly putting ideology before public safety. 

“Rather than waste money on a default 20mph speed limit, it’s about time they used their budget more wisely and started to spend money on projects that are vitally needed.”

In a 2021 Welsh Government consultation document, the Pontybat crossroad junction was identified as one of the “priority schemes” in the Mid Wales Safety Schemes Programme.

The document noted there had been 10 collisions on or near to the junction in the previous five years and said that high mainline traffic speeds make it difficult for A470 southbound traffic to enter the junction safely.

The scrapped plans would have seen a roundabout installed at the junction.

The Roads Review Panel found that the Pontybat junction was not a “collision cluster site” although added that collisions at the junction should be kept under review.

Powys councillor Tom Colbert, who represents Bronllys and Felinfach, was a vocal opponent of the decision to scrap the safety scheme, calling it a “road safety issue”.

The roads review was initially announced by then Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters in June 2021, freezing all road building projects.
 An independent panel was then created and tasked with reviewing the projects considered part of the review.