Traders angry at bridge closure

Traders are warning of long tailbacks around Carmarthen

Traders in Carmarthen say cars travelling to tourist areas in west Wales will be bumper to bumper over the Easter holidays.

They are angry that maintenance work on a bridge at Carmarthen will reduce the A40 to a single lane in each direction for up to 10 weeks.

Work on Johnstown Bridge is due to begin in the middle of next month but Carmarthenshire Council has been criticised for its timing.

The authority says the repair work is essential and putting it off would only delay problems until the summer season.

Last year was a bumper one here because for the first time in many many years we did not have road works in Carmarthen Ron Mounsey

But Ron Mounsey, franchise owner of McDonald's at Pensarn, said it should have been done during the winter or at least put off until after the Easter break.

"We have become a very tourist-orientated area and the A40 is the main link to west Wales and it's very important," he said.

"Last year was a bumper one here because for the first time in many many years we did not have road works in Carmarthen.

"Carmarthen is the travel hub for people visiting Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire but people are not going to come if they are stuck in traffic for two hours.

'Frustrating'

"Easter is the first holiday for everyone in the year and is very important.

"I just think the trunk road authority could have planned this better."

Gareth Scourfield, a member of Carmarthen's chamber of commerce, said delaying the work until after Easter would still allow time for it to be completed by the school summer holidays.

"I feel no thought has been given to this. Nobody is very happy about it," he said.

Carmarthenshire council's technical services director Richard Workman said local business representatives had been consulted on the works.

"This is vital safety work for the Welsh assembly which has to be done, and has to be done during the next available window of opportunity," he said.

"To delay the work, as some have suggested, would only extend the work further into the summer holidays.

"We understand it is frustrating for people, but urge them to be patient.

"We are working very closely with the contractor to minimise disruption over the holiday period.

"Hopefully disruption can be kept to a minimum, but there is bound to be some delay and we have to urge people to be patient."