Call for action over danger junction

Retired driving instructor Arthur Billington has been fighting for more than two years to have double yellow lines extended at the entrance of the Dol-y-Felin estate in Welshpool.

Mr Billington, who lives on the estate, claims Powys County Council have put the lines too close to the junction, making it impossible to see traffic coming from the left when leaving the estate.

He has renewed calls for something to be done, and now he has earned the backing of local councillors and handed a petition signed by 200 residents to Powys County Council portfolio holder for highways, councillor Phyl Davies.

The former driving instructor warned if nothing is done again this time, someone could be killed.

He said: "You have to be in the middle of Brook Street to see if anything is coming from the left if you want to turn right towards the town centre.

"Sooner or later someone will be killed. I have seen so many near-misses.”

Councillor Davies was handed the petition by a number of residents in Welshpool last week, and he has pledged to raise the issue with highways officers and see what improvements can be made.

Parking has become a major problem in Welshpool in the last year, since Tesco supermarket put a time limit on how long people could park in their car park for.

This led to people working in the town parking in various locations, including near the Dol-y-Felin estate.

Mr Billington has received the backing of local county councillor Graham Breeze who admitted something needs to be done before a tragedy occurs.

He said: "The council clearly got this wrong and we have to put things right before something tragic happens at this junction.

“I use this junction regularly myself so appreciate that you take your life into your own hands every time you use it.

“Applying to extend double yellow lines can be a long procedure but I am suggesting we take some immediate action to prevent motorists parking so close to this junction while orders are sought.”