County councillors are renewing calls to reduce the speed limit on one of the most dangerous roads in the country to 50mph.

The first concern is the turning off the Raglan by-pass into the central junction which requires vehicles exiting the A449 to slow down in the fast lane before turning into it prior to accessing the old Raglan to Monmouth road towards Mitchell Troy. Traffic to and from Raglan using that road have to cross over the by-pass. This includes school buses, large agricultural vehicles with trailers, lorries and private vehicles. The length of these vehicles means that they can protrude into the A40.The second concern is the pedestrian crossing opposite Raglan Castle is extremely dangerous and prevents people from accessing the castle by foot -this includes the local school pupils who cannot visit the historical site.County councillor for Raglan Ward Penny Jones told the Beacon: "I fully support the appeal by the residents of Raglan and all who have been demanding that Welsh Government implement a 50mph speed limit on this stretch of road. The concerns are mainly around accessing the Raglan-old Monmouth road junction and dangers faced by pedestrians crossing the by-pass opposite the entrance to Raglan Castle. There is a very serious accident waiting to happen and this could be seen as a vital first step towards the prevention of potential fatalities whilst other measures are being considered."MCC leader Richard John told the Beacon: "The stretch of road from the A449-A40 junction to the Raglan roundabout is one of the most dangerous in the county."He added: "With the difficult turnings out of Raglan and to and from the old Monmouth road, 70mph is too high a speed limit. A reduction to 50mph would significantly improve safety for motorists, cyclists as well as any pedestrians crossing towards the castle. As an A road, only Welsh Government can make changes to improve safety, so we’re determined to make the case to ministers for urgent steps to make this road safer."Peter Fox, MS for Monmouth, met with Leader of Monmouthshire County Council Cllr Richard John; Cllr Penny Jones for Raglan; representatives from Raglan Community Council and Mitchel Troy Community Council; and residents of Raglan and Mitchel Troy to discuss the ongoing traffic issues on the A40 Raglan Bypass.Their urgent pleas have now been renewed ahead of the expected completion of Head of Valley’s road, a main artery into England which’ll cause further traffic pressures.Mr Fox said: “This has been a longstanding concern that has escalated over recent years, and it is feared to get much worse once other roads come into full operation.“All parties feel this is an outdated road system that is unable to safely cope with increased traffic in 2021.“I have heard deeply concerning incidents where people could have been killed by vehicles, and, worse still, there have been recorded fatalities in the past.“I will be writing jointly with the Council Leader and stakeholders to the Welsh Government, requesting credible action to make this stretch of road safer.”And Cllr Jones added: “The main concern of Monmouthshire County Council, alongside Raglan Community Council, is for the safety of the residents as well as the users of the A40 Raglan By-pass. And that is why the current situation is simply unacceptable.“Residents’ concerns have been ignored for too long, but we are determined to resolve this issue.The time for words is over – we now need to see action.”