Traffic misery as Bank Holiday starts

As thousands of tourists, residents and businesses prepare for the Bank Holiday weekend, Newtown and surrounding areas are already being hit by traffic misery as congestion in the town continues.

Queues of traffic have been building up along the A483 in Pool Road and out towards Abermule, while traffic in the town centre has been getting gradually worse as town traffic is hit by the increased visitor traffic. And it's not just residents and visitors bemoaning the situation - businesses are being affected too.

"It's mad. We're on the main road but because of the queues people are either not bothering to set to see us or just don't want to stop because they have to try and get back into the queue afterwards," said one businessman who didn't want to be named. "It really needs sorting out. This isn't just a Bank Holiday problem, it's every Friday and Saturday."

Problems still stem from the traffic lights installed at what was the McDonald's roundabout linking Pool Road with Kerry Road and the River Severn bridge. Despite cameras being installed and linked to Traffic Wales' HQ in Cardiff where operators can monitor and control traffic signals, queues of vehicles are still forming out of the town.

The problem also affects the town centre and Llanidloes Road.

The Bank Holiday issue comes just days after tourism businesses in Mid Wales called on the Welsh Government to resolve traffic problems in Newtown and Welshpool. Both towns have been hit by traffic delays and congestion as a result of changes to road systems - often against the advice of local residents and businesses.

More than 500 businesses from the tourism sector made the collective appeal to the Government's local representatives, including Montgomeryshire AM, Russell George.