Over 100 residents gathered to raise their concerns about road safety in Machen at a meeting on September 17.
They are concerned about the speed of traffic on the main road hrough the village and are setting up an ‘action committee’ to call on Caerphilly County Borough Council to improve the safety of the road.
Campaigners would ideally like to see the speed limit reduced to 20 mph on the A468 under the ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign, but councillor Derek Harvard believes this may be out of reach.
But, they also want to see traffic calming measures installed, better signage to warn drivers of concealed entrances and a pedestrian crossing near the Welfare Ground in the village, to allow children to safely cross the road to play in the park.
Cllr Harvard said: “There’s no long term plan for the alleviation of traffic problems in Machen.
“800 people signed a petition around 18 months ago and since then we’ve had no more discussion and hit a brick wall, because we’ve got this basic problem that it’s a narrow village with a lot of traffic going through it.
“It’s pretty obvious that the villagers want something done about it and they’re in the process of forming this action committee.
“The time has come that we must do something.”
Campaigner Valerie Davies said the mood of people at the meeting was angry, with some suggesting taking direct action on the road.
She said: “Machen needs traffic restrictions. Everyone at the meeting had a horror story to tell.
“It’s awful when they say we can’t do anything until there’s a serious injury or fatality.”
The campaigners will be calling a further meeting to discuss the issue when the ‘action committee’ is formed.
It would be utterly ridiculous to have a 20mph speed limit through Machen, the village sits on the A468, a major trunk road which links Caerphilly and Newport, have their been any deaths on this stretch of road that goes through Machen? There is no justification for lowering the limit, it is already 30mph and 20mph during school coming and going times – this is more than adequate. How many of the campaigners actually stick to the speed limit themselves, I can guarantee that out of the campaigners who actually drive a car 100% of them will break the speed limit every single time they take to the road, they may only go over by 2 or 3 mph but they will like everybody else break the speed limit. Don’t buy a house near to a main trunk road and then complain about the traffic using it. Children need to be taught road safety, they need to be taught that roads are extremely dangerous and if they step out into the path of a moving vehicle they most definitely will be seriously injured or even killed – they should not be taught that every road user will slow down for them. Machen does not have any traffic issues, what it does have is far too many whingers who have nothing better to do with their lives than complain about everything that goes on in the village that they don’t agree with.
I have to agree Paul. As a resident of Machen myself, I must raise a concern though. There are way too many people parking their cars on the narrow road through the village around the pharmacy and Top Club. Countless times have I had near misses with people not yielding to the obstruction on their side of the road and nearly hitting me. I have no problem with the current speed limit, but some kind of zebra crossing and double yellow lines are definitely needed in areas by the school. Creating a 20Mph limit will cause a HUGE traffic bottleneck at peak times and would be and absolute nightmare.
Yes Jason you’re right about inconsiderate folk who park their cars dangerously on the main road throughout Machen, they even park on the zig zag lines for the pedestrian crossing to use the post office when there is a free car park directly opposite – which itself is a road traffic offence which does carry a three piont penalty.
I must admit I constantly have to remind myself to slow down when I get to this area. I remember to late and have to brake sharply to get to the right speed limit.
30 is sufficient and should be enforced and if I get done because of it then that’s my fault.