Vale of Glamorgan: Speed limit cut at Cowbridge roundabout

Matthew Rouch died after he crashed into what the coroner's report called a "relatively new" junction on the A48

The speed limit near a junction is to be lowered after a coroner said it "seemed to be dangerous" following the death of a motorcyclist.

Future deaths could be prevented at the A48 Cowbridge bypass if drivers were made to slow down, a coroner said

Vale of Glamorgan council said Matthew Rouch's death was "tragic" and it would limit speeds at the junction to 30mph.

It was previously warned about the new roundabout, where another motorcyclist died in 2020.

Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Conservative group in the Senedd, asked the Labour-led council to make the junction safer following the death of Robert John Evans, 72, from Whitchurch, Cardiff.

"My concerns were ignored, with the council claiming the incident was the result of driver error," he said.

The local authority said it took took no action because an accident investigation had found the safety of the junction was not a factor in the crash.

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Then in September last year, Mr Rouch, 41, from Penarth, died after crashing his Kawasaki motorcycle at the same roundabout.

Mr Davies called the death "desperately sad".

An inquest found it was "more likely than not" that Mr Rouch approached the new roundabout "too quickly".

Matthew Rouch was called an "amazing man" by his family

But assistant coroner for south Wales central, Rachel Knight, wrote to Vale of Glamorgan council saying Mr Rouch had been riding on a "stretch of the road with a relatively new junction" that "seems to be dangerous".

She said "more deaths may occur" unless changes were made to slow down drivers.

Mr Davies accused the local authority of "neglecting" its duties by not acting sooner.

A council spokesman said: "The collision and death of the motorcyclists on the A48 is a tragedy and the council send their condolences to family and friends of the deceased.

"The council will be reviewing the details of the collision in conjunction with the police and will be responding fully to the coroner's report in due course."

The authority said it was in the process of cutting the speed limit on the approach to the roundabout from 50mph to 30mph.