The neighbours taking action against speeding on Victoria Road, Six Bells
Like many streets in Blaenau Gwent, Victoria Road is flanked by houses on one side, and a steep drop on the other.
It’s one of the routes into Six Bells, home to the famous Guardian of the Valleys giant statue. But the Guardian has not been able to ward off damage from the multiple accidents caused by speeding traffic. Despite a change in speed limit from National Speed Limit to 30 just before you reach the houses, many motorists do not slow down, to the detriment of the locals.
Plaid Cymru candidate Peredur Owen Griffiths is helping long-frustrated locals take matters into their own hands to ensure the worst doesn’t happen, after being told by the Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council there was “no evidence” of there being a problem on Victoria Road.
Sue, a local resident said “we’re not going to wait for a fatal accident to happen – and it will happen – we’re taking action now.”
Sue has seen at first hand the damage caused, when a speeding car took down her front wall and smashed into five parked cars.
Sue and her neighbours contacted Peredur Owen Griffiths, who immediately started a petition to get support from more residents before approaching the council.
It soon became apparent that this was a long-standing problem, with numerous incidents of damage to cars, and tragically, the loss of a beloved pet dog.
Plaid Cymru candidate for Blaenau Gwent, Peredur Owen Griffiths said:
“It’s a miracle that no-one has been killed, but the point is, we shouldn’t have to wait until someone is killed before action is taken.
“Having contacted both the Community and the County Borough Councils, with neither offering assistance, I then contacted Gwent Police who suggested we set up a community speed watch – essentially, the community being given the tools to tackle the problem themselves.
“We’ve now met with a police official, and the local residents have volunteered to do the training which will enable them to take action against the speeding traffic. This will help us build up a picture of speeding cars to get the evidence that the County Borough Council say is lacking.
“It shouldn’t be down to the community to take action, the council should be doing everything in their power to make things safe.”
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