Call for meeting over "perfect storm" of roadworks

* A sign warning of the A5 roadworks ahead. 

A town councillor has called for a high-level meeting of the main agencies involved to address what he has branded the "perfect storm of roadworks" facing Llangollen.

On Friday llanblogger reported how Stuart Davies was asking national roads bosses to "get their act together" to manage major traffic congestion in the town.

Earlier that day roadworks on the A5 just out of town, which are being carried out to strengthen the retaining wall and are due to last for 33 weeks, caused gridlock along Regent Street as heavy Friday afternoon traffic queued in both directions to negotiate the temporary lights just after the Birch Hill junction.

It is believed the jams were the result of a temporary fault with the lights.

At one stage around 3.30pm vehicles lining up in Castle Street to turn left onto the A5 missed numerous changes of the lights as they were unable to move freely out into the flow on the trunk road.

In a fresh statement sent to county and town council officials, along with the area's MP and MS and copied to llanblogger, Cllr Davies says: "It's coming to pass, the perfect storm of gridlock in Llangollen and area. 

"I wrote to you all a few weeks ago predicting this would happen and now it is. 

"The North and Mid-Wales Traffic Agent (NMWTRA) works on the A5 leading to tailbacks with police having to get involved to attempt to solve it, the gridlock on the A5 impacting on Castle Street with up to eight traffic light cycles to allow traffic on to the A5. 

"Now we get a statutory order, a TTO (Temporary Traffic Order) basically banning parking throughout Llangollen town centre for six months to allow the 2020 works, this stopping residents from parking outside their houses. 

"Also a TTO has surfaced from NMWTRA about traffic light replacement on the junction with Castle Street. Then the night closure of the A483 plus minor works on the A539 plus the closure of the minor Bont Road near Froncysyllte plus the landslip at Newbridge.

"Then we have the issue of the inset near the town hall with officers charging ahead without any feedback to the concerned public."

He added: "No statutory consultation regarding the TRO to allow the 2020 works to go ahead has been seen either.

"What on earth is going on? 

"I am calling on Denbighshire County Council (DCC) to repeat their consultation exercise to ensure the statutory TRO consultation is a meaningful one and to ensure the public fully understands and agrees the actions you are taking.

"Plus I am calling for all stake-holders to get a high level meeting with DCC, Wrexham County Borough Council, the Welsh Government and North Wales Police to make sure that they are all aware of the consequences and impact of their isolated planning.

"At the moment there is no joined up thinking with each agency doing their own thing and residents of Llangollen and the surrounding area being impacted."