A £250,000 scheme will see traffic signals giving priority to buses installed on a road between two towns in South Wales where traffic is regularly reduced to a slow-moving crawl.
Last year concerns were raised the six mile journey between Pontypool and Blaenavon along the A4043 can take up to an hour at peak periods, says Nation Cymru.
Torfaen Borough Council has now agreed to use part of its £6.5 million funding, from the UK Government to boost the local economy, on bus priority traffic signals.
Simon Hall, the council’s interim head of economy, told the council’s Labour cabinet the £250,000 scheme is intended to improve journeys in both directions leading to quicker trips and more reliable services.
“The project accelerates bus travel through the town and through the region using technology which turns the lights green when buses approach the actual traffic light.”
The plan was welcomed by Councillor Sue Morgan who also asked if the system could be extended further south in future, though she did say she was concerned at a potentially negative reaction from other drivers.
The Cwmbran Pontnewydd member said:
“I think it’s fabulous I love we’ve got the ability to prioritise buses. Is it likely to cause driver frustration and how do we pre-empt that when drivers perceive traffic lights changing in a way they’re not accustomed to? That can cause a bit of kickback.
“Are we looking at a potential future bid to extend that scheme down to the south of the borough?”
Mr Hall said he thought there is “always driver frustration” where there are traffic lights but it isn’t intended other drivers would notice the priority but would check if publicising how the lights work is included in the project planning.
Expanding the use of the priority signals could be considered in the next tranche of funding under the local growth fund and future funding bids could consider other “transport challenges” said Mr Hall.
The project is one of 10 agreed by the cabinet totalling £3.5m with further schemes being developed for the second funding tranche, to be agreed later this year, of £3m.
(Picture: Mapillary)
