DESCRIBED as one of the busiest junctions in the county, the traffic problems at the junction of the Redbrook and Staunton roads have only been made worse with the recent roadworks.

Paul Keeble, Traffic and Network Manager for Monmouthshire County Council was asked by town councillors to take a fresh look at the way the traffic merges onto the Wyebridge following a number of complaints over the waiting times on the Mayhill, Staunton and Redbrook roads.

Suggestions for ‘Please Merge’ signs as seen on the continent were dismissed by Mr Keeble because statutory traffic regulations at a roundabout would cause problems with such a scheme.

He was told by Councillor Terry Christopher that taxis were now refusing to take passengers to and from Wyesham because the increased waiting times make the journey uneconomic.

An offer by County Councillor Liz Hacket Pain to arrange a meeting with Edwina Hart, the Welsh Assembly’s Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, and town councillors was put forward and Mr Keeble said he would be interested in attending such a meeting.

He offered to take a fresh look at the situation and suggested that the county council could undertake a road traffic analysis, adding that the council would soon be consulting on the proposed third lane for the A40, a dedicated traffic route for motorists driving over the Wyebridge from Dixton roundabout.

If adopted, this should have considerable benefits for traffic flow; modelling suggests it would improve flow by 11 to 25 per cent. Once agreed, funding from the Welsh Government would be requested to produce a detailed design with a bid to implement the scheme in 2016.