Much Work to Do on South Wales Roads T O obtain
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first-hand impressions of the inadequacy of the South Wales road system, die British Road Federation recently conducted a small-scale survey on certain routes which are to be improved. It was found that if industrial development in the area were to be supported by adequate road communications, much work would have to be done.
The Federation's survey covered the Birmingham-Bristol, Gloucester-Swansea and Ross-Abergavenny-Neath routes. On the first it was found that
there was a large proportion of long, distance traffic, that the width was largely inadequate, and sight-distances were poor. The Ministry of Transport proposes to build a new motorway between Bristol and Birmingham connecting with the new Severn Bridge on the London-South Wales motorway.
On the other routes, heavy vehicles in particular have to contend with unsuitable gradients, trunk routes through built-up areas and narrow and winding streets. Much -of the RossAbergavenny road is hilly and difficult
for commercial vehicles to negotiate. The building of the Ross spur motorway will make it more suitable for industrial traffic. At the moment, this road is nowhere sufficiently wide for three vehicles abreast.
Construction work has already commenced on a section of the Neath. by-pass, which will form a connection with Swansea via the Jersey Marine improvement. It is also proposed to improve the existing road between Ilirwaun and Abergavenny by a series of by-passes.