AM vows to help make ‘dangerous’ A525 near Wrexham safer

Assembly Member Ken Skates has told residents near Wrexham he will keep up the fight to improve safety on a ‘dangerous’ road.

The speed limit on the A525 at Bwlchgwyn has been lowered from 60-50mph, but campaigners want measures including double white lines to stop overtaking on a stretch where there have been more than 100 recorded accidents in the past seven years.

Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, said: “Speeding and dangerous driving on this road have been an issue for a long time and are problems which seriously concern many of my constituents.

“While the limit has been reduced, residents are still reporting motorists overtaking at high speed and regular near misses. They fear the next fatal crash is only a matter of time.”

Bwlchgwyn resident Terence Brownhill said: “Police statistics show that over 100 accidents have been recorded within the area around the Moors Inn crossroads in the last seven years, including circa 47 accidents and at least four deaths on the crossroads itself.”

Mr Brownhill has accused the council of ‘passing of the buck back to North Wales Police to enforce rather than restrict the opportunity for further carnage’.

Mr Skates said: “Residents say cars are both overtaking and undertaking once leaving the crossroads, often within 50 metres of the turn to Ruthin. There are also a number of entrances to residential properties and crossing points on this road.

“In the spring and summer there is an even higher volume of traffic, and walking groups often use the road as well. Something needs to be done.”

He added: “Residents have asked for double white ‘no overtaking’ lines from the Moors Inn crossroads up to the Wrexham/Denbighshire boundary sign, a stretch of about 300-400m, to help reduce the number of serious crashes and fatalities. However, the council has said the road doesn’t meet the necessary criteria.”
Mr Brownhill, a Community First Responder who has witnessed several major crashes near his home, said: “Unfortunately, I believe that it is only a matter of time before the next serious incident will occur on this stretch of road. This is by no means the end of this campaign.”

Mr Skates added: “The residents are determined to make this road safer, and I will continue to do whatever I can to help make that happen.”