Road concerns grow after horse death on Sychnant Pass

The Sychnant Pass

There are calls for the speed limit on a Conwy county mountain road to be reduced after a horse was hit by a car on Wednesday and died.

The incident follows three cases of wild ponies being killed by cars on the Sychnant Pass in 2013 and 2014.

North Wales Police has launched an investigation, and it is understood the driver and horse rider were not seriously injured.

Conwy council said warning signs were installed on the pass in 2014.

But horse riders and farmers said the speed limit should be reduced.

Wendy Tobias-Jones, the British Horse Society's safety officer for north west Wales, said the road, which has a national speed limit of 60 mph, was a "rat-run".

Councillor Goronwy Edwards said there were health and safety concerns over the number of horses, cyclists, walkers and riders on the road.

"It's something the authority needs to look at," he said.

The area is home to wild Carneddau mountain ponies, who often stray on to the pass

Farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, secretary of the Carneddau Mountain Pony Society, said: "It's dangerous because you have got wild mountain ponies on the road.

"I have asked the council for flashing lights for the cars and some kind of different signage.

"There will be a (human) fatality one day, it is only a matter of time."

Conwy council said in 2014 a number of signs warning of horses in the road were installed on the pass.

A spokesman said: "Since then, these have been supplemented with signs warning of sheep in the road.

"We have no information at this time as to the cause of Wednesday's incident and will require details of the collision to consider whether further warning signs would be beneficial."