50mph limit needed due to condition of M48 crash barriers

A lower speed limit is in place as drivers enter and leave Wales via the first Severn Bridge due to deteriorating crash barriers, councillors have been told. 

But there is no indication of when repairs to the barriers, dividing the west and east bound carriageways on the Welsh side the bridge, will be repaired. 

Carl Touhig, Monmouthshire County Council’s head of neighbourhood services which includes highways, told councillors the 50 mile per hour limit, which is in place from the New House Roundabout on the M48, is required for safety reasons. 

“It’s a vehicle resistance system,” said Mr Touhig: “The speed needs to be 50mph and you will bounce off, at 70mph you go through it.” 

The council isn’t responsible for the M48 at Chepstow as it forms part of the Welsh Government’s network and Mr Touhig said there is a similar issue on the A40 at Raglan and he has also asked when repairs will be completed there. 

“The response I’ve had is ‘not this financial year.” 

Mr Touhig also explained to members of Monmouthshire County Council’s public services scrutiny committee why traffic, headed to England, is directed around the New House Roundabout when a lane is closed on the Severn Bridge. 

“It slows the traffic down, further back, and they get into a single lane,” explained Mr Touhig who said the intention is to avoid traffic “bunching up” on the suspension bridge: “I’m not sure it is the best solution but that is how you handle traffic management.” 

The officer said there had been a similar situation at Monmouth, due to a landslip at Leys Bend, on the English side of the border, with a traffic management system put in place at the Dixton roundabout. Following a review changes were made due to the adverse impact on the local road network. 

Chepstow Castle and Larkfield Labour member Dale Rooke said the 50 mile per hour limit due to the barriers has been in place “well over a year” and said using the roundabout to manage traffic on the bridge causes “huge problems”. 

Committee chair, Chepstow Bulwark and Thornwell councillor Armand Watts, asked how “English Highways”, which is now known as National Highways, was able to control traffic on the A466 Wye Valley Link Road. 

The Labour member said: “I know it’s not the Berlin Wall but I’m not entirely sure SWTRA (South Wales Trunk Road Agency) know they are doing it.” 
Mr Touhig said both Severn bridges are managed by National Highways and he said it does inform SWTRA of works it is carrying out and added since the landslide at Leys Bend the council has had a “better relationship” with its Midlands branch and added: “I’m sure we can extend that to the Bristol branch as well.” 

Welsh Government roads, the M4 and trunk roads, are managed by SWTRA which is responsible for maintenance with Monmouthshire one of its three main “delivery agents” with Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot which is the lead authority. 

Monmouthshire is responsible for the network from Chepstow to Coryton, in north Cardiff, and though staff are employed by the council their workloads and schedules are determined by SWTRA.