Traffic: Road safety call after six crashes in nine months on A487

Dylan Jones says he's never seen so much traffic on his road in the past six months

A resident is calling for improved road safety following six crashes in the past nine months outside his home.

Dylan Jones, who lives on the A487 in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, said traffic had increased significantly due to tourism and the construction of a new bypass.

He said one car crashed into his front wall, causing more than £2,000 worth of damage.

The Welsh government said it anticipated a reduction in traffic in the area when the bypass was finished.

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Mr Jones has lived at the property for 15 years but said he had never seen so much traffic.

"There have been accidents and near misses, however the last six months have been beyond," he said.

"One car went into the side of the pub, another car lost it on the corner, there were two collisions with a tanker going into the front [wall] of my house.

"I've never seen anything like it."

There have been six crashes in the past nine months on the A487, says Dylan Jones

Mr Jones said he wants to see more speed cameras out in the area and speed limits reduced to 20mph.

He believes the increase in traffic is down to more people travelling to the Llyn Peninsula for staycations and the construction of the Bontnewydd bypass.

The bypass is due to open in early spring 2022 and Gwynedd council expects traffic to decrease significantly as a result.

'Someone is going to get hurt'

Dylan Jones said he wants to see speed limits reduced to 20mph in the area

"My worries are is that someone is going to get hurt," Mr Jones said.

"You've got holiday traffic, local traffic and people need to take more care.

"Thankfully that hasn't happened but there has been damage to property and the problem we've got is there are merges here."

This part of the A487 connects traffic coming from the north-east of Wales and England to areas popular with visitors, such as the Llyn Peninsula and Porthmadog.

'I feel for the people living here'

One councillor says there have been "a number of problems all the way to Bontnewydd"

Councillor Cai Larsen, who represents the Caernarfon ward, said the number of collisions had been of "great concern".

"I feel for the people living here, but it's a wider issue than just here, the traffic is very busy all the way out of Caernarfon," he said.

"There have been a number of problems all the way to Bontnewydd."

Mr Larsen said he too would welcome a speed limit of 20mph in the area.

However, despite the expected decrease in traffic over the next few months, he is also worried about drivers speeding.

Gwynedd council said it was a matter for the Welsh government.

The Welsh government said it "anticipates a reduction in the volume of traffic travelling through Caernarfon, including Stryd y Degwm, Stryd y Plas and Muriau Park, once the A487 Caernarfon to Bontnewydd bypass work is completed in early 2022".