As a trainee journalist (on the Pontypool Free Press) in the 1980’s I can recall the complaints from residents then and can recall the results of road accidents. Now it's not just the stretch of the road between Pontypool and Goetre, I can recall my news desk dealing regularly with stories relating to flooding and accidents at Llanelen Bridge on the A4042 between Pontypool and Abergavenny. I have lost track of the number of times that my journey to and from Abergavenny and the north west of the constituency have been stopped by the Police and other emergency services dealing with the consequences of yet another traffic accident.
The problems along the road between Little Mill and at Llanelen had been clearly identified when Gwent County Council still existed (and that was pre 1992) and there have been far too many accidents since, over the years - the question is now no so much what will be done as when will something be done, before the grim toll of accidents is added too.
The area around Llanelen Bridge has long been prone to flooding as well as being recognised and well known as a lethal accident black spot; over the years all we have had is talk about sorting out the problems, but, never any action to resolve the problem. We have to ask ourselves; as we face yet another season of long dark winter evenings, how many more lives will be lost before any action is finally taken? For how much longer must we put up with inaction before anything is actually done to solve the problem and save lives?
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