Residents have launched a petition calling for urgent safety improvements on the A4042 between Llanfrechfa and Llanyravon, saying the road has become increasingly dangerous for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The petition highlights concerns about speeding, poor visibility, and the lack of a safe pedestrian crossing point along a stretch used daily by families and schoolchildren. Campaigners want measures such as reduced speed limits, better signage, improved lighting and safer crossing options.
Residents can read and sign the petition using this link.
“We can’t get out of the area safely”
Cwmbran Life met a group of residents from Highfield Close, Llanfrechfa, by the pedestrian crossing point near Crown roundabout. The crossing sits at the bottom of the sloping dual carriageway (with a 70mph speed limit) from the Turnpike roundabout.
Their homes sit at the bottom of Crown Road – a narrow, unlit lane with no footpaths – and residents say they cannot safely leave the area without using a car. Even when driving, they say the entrance to the roundabout is dangerous because vehicles “don’t slow down”.
There is a pedestrian underpass 0.7 miles away at Bath Green, but reaching it means walking up Crown Road, where residents say drivers don’t expect to meet pedestrians.
Impact on families and schoolchildren
Residents told Cwmbran Life that the lack of safe routes affects everything from school journeys to trips to the boating lake or local shops.
Michelle Evans, a mum of two teenagers, said: “I’ve written to everywhere because obviously I’ve been really concerned about them crossing to go to the school. I’ve changed my job so I work from home so I can take them to school because I’m so neurotic about them crossing the road because of their safety.”
She said that because there’s no “pedestrian walking zone” it means they “literally have left us with no other option to cross the dual carriageway.”
Helen Adams said: “I can’t walk my grandson and we’ve got a granddaughter. We can’t walk them to the boating lake. We end up driving there. Even if you want something as basic as a pint of milk, you have to get in your car to go.”
She said crossing from the Llanyrafon side is dangerous: “You can step onto the road, and suddenly there’s a car [coming from Newport direction].”
Ian Adams added: “When you get to the centre you’ve really got to take your life in your hands. Most of the time when you get into the far lane, you’re still on the road and the car you first saw is just passing behind you. It’s literally that tight.”
He said cars “come roaring down that hill” and often enter the roundabout at speed: “You’re still probably seeing cars doing about 45-50 miles an hour as they come off the roundabout. Even if there was some measure to slow them down, it would give you, it doesn’t sound much, a couple more seconds to get off the road if you’re lucky. The bottom line is, it’s just not safe.”
Teenagers speak about daily risks
Bethan Moore has a son at Croesyceiliog School and a daughter at Crosskeys College who works part‑time at the boating lake cafe.
She said: “She can’t get a safe route to get a bus to college or walk to her part-time job at the boating lake. My other child has not got a safe route to access school.”
She said some neighbours rely on others for shopping because they cannot safely cross the road: “Drivers are driving down the dual carriageway, down the hill and are speeding up even if they are seeing pedestrians crossing.”
Callie, 16, said: “I cannot cross the road at that time [during the school run] because it’s so busy and the cars don’t stop for you. If anything, I think they speed up.”
She said she sometimes waited “half an hour” to cross after school.
Cai, 15, said he rarely walks because his mum is “so paranoid” about the dual carriageway.
He said he was recently offered drugs while using the underpass and described Crown Road as full of blind spots: “Walking down there is a nightmare… there’s nothing you can do other than walk on someone’s driveway to try and avoid that car.”
Nia, a teenager, said: “I’ve been trying to go to the boating lake to meet my friends multiple times, which is like the smallest of your issues, and I’ve been late multiple times which obviously isn’t really a problem, but I’ve been having to tell them, ‘look I can’t really cross the road. Can you meet me somewhere else because I can’t get across’ and they’ve had to go out of their way and try and meet me somewhere else.”
Local councillor: “An accident waiting to happen”
Cllr Karl Gauden, councillor for Llanfrechfa and Ponthir, met residents at the site when Cwmbran Life was there.
He said it was a “community‑led campaign” and highlighted the split responsibility between the Welsh Government (A4042) and Torfaen Council (Crown Road).
He said: “You’ve got to ask yourself what price can you put on a life and this is really an accident waiting to happen here.
“There’s a lot of residents with younger children, as you see today, and crossing that road is literally taking their life in their hands.”
He added that residents should be able to reach shops and leisure facilities safely. He described Crown Road as “single track and really busy” and “used as a shortcut’ so he’d “urged” the council to take action.
Official responses
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Connections at this location were provided as part of the A4042 Llantarnam Bypass scheme of the 1990s and designed and delivered in accordance with the standards applicable at that time. Highways officials are working with Torfaen Borough Council to identify potential improvements.”
A Torfaen Council spokesperson said: “There are no orders in place to stop pedestrians from using Crown Road. We are currently working on an options appraisal following requests from residents and the local MP.”