Major city centre route to have speed lowered to improve safety

Lower speed limits are being introduced along sections of a main route into Swansea city centre in a bid to reduce accident

Swansea Council is in the process of reducing the speed limit to 30mph along small sections of Carmarthen Road (A483).

The route is the main road into the city from junction 47 of the M4 and during a three year period has seen more than 100 collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians, including a number of fatal and serious accidents.

£377,000 of road safety grant funding was provided to the council as part of the Welsh Government 2015/16 transport road safety grant settlement. The funding is being used to make a number of safety improvements, including the installation of cameras at key junctions. The cameras will monitor any vehicles that jump red lights as well as enforce the speed limit.

David Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transportation, said: “Carmarthen Road is a major strategic route from the M4 into the city centre. It’s important that we do what we can to make it as safe as possible for motorists and also for pedestrians.

“Whilst the majority of the route is 30mph, there are some small sections that are 40mph. The latest work will ensure the route is safer and hopefully reduce the number and severity of collisions which still occur at some junctions.”

In total, four traffic cameras are being installed at key junctions and will detect any vehicles that have driven through the junction during a red light sequence. One of the traffic cameras will be installed at the junction of Heol Y Cwmdu and Carmarthen Road, which was the site of a fatal accident involving a motorcyclist.

The funding will also be used to carry out improvements to extend a cycle route between Dyfatty and Cwmbwrla.

Cllr Hopkins added: “Much of Carmarthen Road travels through residential areas so it is important to consider the way in which it serves residents who use it. The route is popular with pedestrians and cyclists so we have to look at how it can be improved for these groups.”