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.”
