Average speed cameras are being installed on a very remote mountainous Welsh road and some drivers are accusing those who are putting them there of trying to make a profit. Five cameras in total are being put in place on what’s known as the Black Mountain Pass within Brecon Beacons National Park, near the Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot Border.
The stretch, which has featured in an episode of Top Gear and was a favourite of Jeremy Clarkson, is widely considered to be one of the best driving roads in the whole of the UK. The average speed cameras are all being installed on the rural A4069 between the villages of Brynamman to the south and Llangadog to the north, much to the dismay of some people who regularly drive on the road.
Joshua White, who lives in nearby Garnant, is a motorbike rider who was already annoyed at the decision made in recent years to reduce the speed limit on the road from 60mph to 40mph. “The road itself and the Black Mountain brings a lot of tourism to the area – especially motorcyclists who come here in the summer and then use the pubs and the cafes and the local businesses," he said. "These cameras will put people off coming here – there won’t be anywhere near as much tourism coming to the area. The road used to be subject to a 60mph limit. My father rode on that road, and my grandfather did, and it feels like it’s been taken away from me. We (motorcyclists) don’t drive at ridiculous speeds but it is a nice ride. We know the risks of driving at 60mph on that road. The limit should still be 60mph and there’s no need for these cameras – it’s going to deter a lot of tourists from coming to the community. The majority of people who come to the surrounding villages are tourists.”
Read more: 20mph speed limits have 'minimal impact on journey times', says Welsh Govt
Joshua said that most people he has spoken to locally are against the idea of the speed cameras but admitted that some agree with the decision. On a Facebook post made on a Welsh motorcycling page one person said: “You’re supposed to be doing the speed limit anyway. If you can’t stick to the speed limit and safe driving you shouldn’t be on the road.” Another poster said: “To be honest, good. Don’t get me wrong everyone speeds at some point but there’s a time and a place and you won’t catch me doing over the speed limit on a mountain road that’s full of hazards like sheep, potholes, and debris.”
Others were more critical of the decision. One man said: “They know it’s a prime spot to make some money – not safety cameras, just revenue income cameras.” Another poster agreed by saying: “Big brother state. They want to control you and take your money.” One man said it was a shame that a “beautiful scenic route” had lost its status as one of the best roads around. He said: “So we actually had one of the best rated and most famous motoring roads in Europe, which attracted thousands of desperately-needed tourists into our area, which in turn helped support a variety of struggling local businesses, and the local council just blatantly threw it all out the widow.
“I have enjoyed both riding and driving this beautiful local scenic route for my 40-plus long years of motoring. The vast majority of motorists – as do I – ride and drive this route in a safe and considerate manner. All these cameras will actually achieve is creating long lines of highly-polluting, bunched-up, slow-moving traffic jams. Have no illusions, these new ridiculously-placed speed cameras are being installed for one reason only: fleecing the pockets of hard-up everyday motorists.”
The decision to install an average speed camera system along the stretch has been made by GoSafe – the Wales road casualty reduction partnership – and Carmarthenshire Council, who have been "working together for a number years to address the number of serious and fatal collisions" on the road. Both GoSafe and the council say they have conducted speed surveys and analysed historic collision and enforcement data regarding the A4069 and evaluated "suitability for different types of enforcement and infrastructure changes". The decision has been made after other road safety measures including mobile speed cameras were previously introduced.
A spokesman for GoSafe said: "Speeding is a main contributor to fatal road collisions in Wales. The average speed camera system on Black Mountain Road will help to reduce collisions and keep everyone using the road safer. The scheme in question has been funded through the Welsh Government’s road safety grant. All fine revenue is returned to His Majesty’s Treasury and is not used by GoSafe or highways authorities."
READ NEXT:
- Police make arrest after angry exchange outside school
- Postman's miraculous escape from huge explosion that shook Swansea
- First images of what revamped Welsh lido could look like
- The thriving Welsh town which is well worth the drive
- The latest death and in memoriam notices in Carmarthenshire as families remember loved ones
