MOTORISTS are being urged to follow dedicated diversion routes around Rhayader while essential work is undertaken on the main A470 southbound road leading into the town.
Work to carry out an essential gas main renewal started on Tuesday (April 13) and a section of South Street is closed for nine days, until next Wednesday, April 21.
Various diversions are in place throughout each day of the project, but a full 24-hour closure of the A470 between the junctions of the Bryn Gwy estate and Caeherbert Lane are in place between these dates. And Traffic Wales are urging motorists – especially HGVs – to avoid travelling along this route, for fear of getting into difficulties on smaller local roads, particularly as the centre of Rhayader, where four roads converge, resulting in a very tight bottleneck where traffic jams can be caused.
“Work to carry out an essential gas main renewal is set to take place on the A470 South St, Rhayader,” Traffic Wales tweeted earlier today (Thursday).
“Diversions in place. Please follow dedicated diversion routes. These have been carefully assessed to ensure they’re suitable for all vehicles.
“We’ve had reports of HGVs getting into difficulties on smaller local roads. Diversion routes are there for your safety and to minimise disruption.”
The alternative route avoiding Rhayader
The full closure of South Street between the Bryn Gwy and Caeherbert Lane junctions is in place between 8am and 6pm until April 21. Signalised traffic control on North Street and the town centre crossroads is in place until 5pm today. Phased full closures between Caeherbert Lane to the Cross Lane junction on North Street will be in place from Friday, April 16, to Monday, April 19, from 5-11pm, as well as from 9am-4pm (works will be phased with the aim of maintaining east/west vehicle access through the crossroads during the daytime period).
On the Welsh Government website, Traffic Wales said: “We're capitalising on the Wales and West Utilities closure to deliver essential resurfacing works simultaneously.
“Failure to upgrade the gas mains in this area could lead to further deterioration and additional emergency road closures in the future.
“The official signed diversion route for northbound traffic is via the southbound A470 to Llanelwedd, northbound A483 to Newtown via Llandrindod Wells and Crossgates, westbound A489 to its junction with the A470 Caersws and southbound A470 to Rhayader. Vice versa for southbound.
“High sided vehicles over 14ft should follow the above route but at Llandrindod proceed through Ddole Road Enterprise Park, take the westbound A4081 to Llanyre, leave the A4081 and travel northbound through Llanyre then follow Gravel Road and the A44 to join the A483 at Crossgates and continue as above. Vice versa for southbound vehicles.”
Visit https://traffic.wales/a470-south-st-rhayader-gas-main-renewal-1342021-21042021 for more information and to see the full list of times and closures.
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