CAMPAIGNERS opposed to the proposed 111 house development in Raglan have been dealt a blow by the Welsh Government.

The Raglan Action Group have maintained that up to 200 cars are expected with the number of homes proposed for the site off the Monmouth Road and with only one point of entry and exit, most of them will turn to the junctions serving the A40 bypass road.

However the Welsh Government, who are responsible for the A40 trunk road have reviewed the potential impact to the road and its junctions and have concluded that there are “no adverse safety or performance impacts arising from this proposal.

The decision concludes that: “As highway authority for the A40 trunk road, the Welsh Government does not therefore raise an objection.”

The campaigners claim that the access and crossings onto the A40 do not comply with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.

A spokesman for the Raglan Action Group said: “The junctions were conceived over fifty years ago and are extremely dangerous with serious accidents being recorded all too frequently.

“This is without an increase of 200 plus cars using the junctions with 6-8 movements per dwelling per day likely from a village like this”.

Alex Dyer, chair of the Raglan Action Group said that “111 homes, with over 200 cars, will clearly have an adverse effect on road safety at an already highly dangerous junction.

“I use it a lot and it has me on edge every time I use it. There are some who choose to go through the village or to divert via Tregare and Bryngwyn rather than risk using this crossing.

“The present arrangements fly in the face of current policy which would never permit open access to a high speed dual carriage way. There have been calls for improvements to these crossings and the pedestrian crossings to/from the Castle for years over concerns for safety.”

It is expected the plans will come before Monmouthshire County Council’s November planning meeting.