Video and pictures: Mid Wales turbines convoy trail run divides opinion

They headed through the region yesterday on a trial run ahead of turbine parts being delivered to Tirgwynt windfarm in the Mid Wales countryside from July 25.

But typically things did not go smoothly.

The lorries were two hours behind schedule by the time they reached the Shropshire border owing to delays on motorways on the way from Goole in East Yorkshire.

Bosses at energy firm Awel Newydd Cyf – developers of Tirgwynt windfarm between Carno and Cefn Coch – wanted to use the trial to iron out any issues that could arise when they are loaded up with parts this summer.

The trial run sparked opposing views from residents.

Some said it was well organised and boded well for when the deliveries take place later this month.

Several people took pictures as the lorries passed by, capturing the way a town was brought to a halt.

But others said it would have a huge impact on tourism in the area and that businesses in the area would suffer as a result.

Several people took to the streets of Llanymynech and Pant and dozens more lined roads in Welshpool town centre to catch a glimpse of the two huge turbine lorries when they finally arrived.

The convoy, consisting of two abnormal load simulation vehicles with a police escort to create a sense of how the convoy of vehicles will work, made its way from Wrexham through to Oswestry, Pant, Llanymynech and Welshpool, before it travelled along the A458 and B4385 to the site entrance just beyond Cefn Coch.

• See also: Mid Wales turbines convoy trail run - as it happened

Welshpool town councillor Estelle Bleivas, who watched the large vehicles – which will carry turbine parts of up to 45 metres in length – wind its way through the town's roads, predicted a death knell for the area's main tourist season.

She said: "This shouldn't be happening in the first place.

"If people had come along to Welshpool Town Council's demonstrations and information events eight odd years ago this could have been stopped, but people accused us of scaremongering and didn't believe it would happen.

"Well now it is.

"These vehicles will be passing through the town starting later this month.

"That's prime tourist season and this will kill it.

"People won't want to come back here if they're caught up in this and we've worked damn hard to encourage people to visit the town."

Pant resident Ruth Allcock said she was "horrified" that the work was going ahead, and warned of the effect it would have on the village's roads.

"It's going to be complete chaos, this is the route to all of Wales' tourist destinations. It's already bad enough during the summer months when it's the school holidays," she said.

"This will really affect the roads in the village. They're always having to mend the grids because of heavy traffic. What it will do to our roads I do not know.

"What I do know is this could've been a different story, if we'd have been given a bypass."

But Welshpool resident Roy Evans, who watched the test pass through the region, praised energy bosses for their organisation.

He said: "This has to be done I'm afraid, it's a matter of everyone having patience, then it won't be any trouble.

"I do think this trial run has been extremely well organised, I will give them that. I think the key for this to work is for everyone to have some patience with it."

Along the route were staff from the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent who were on hand to offer feedback on how it went, and ensure it ran smoothly.

The trial run came after Joy Jones, Powys county councillor for Newtown and leader of the town's health forum, voiced fears that the convoys transporting wind turbine parts for work on the Tirgwynt and Garreg Llwyd Hill windfarms would cause disruption to Mid Wales patients' journeys to hospital.

But the developers behind the projects have attempted to allay Councillor Jones' concerns by stressing that the convoys will not affect the work of the emergency services.

The Tirgwynt windfarm site lies between Cefn Coch and Carno, and Garreg Llwyd Hill windfarm is earmarked for the Black Mountain between Felindre and Llanbadarn Fynydd.

The access route has been agreed as part of the planning consent for the windfarm and conforms with the strategic traffic management plan for Mid Wales.

Awel Newydd Cyf altered 12 locations for lorries transporting parts to the Tirgwynt windfarm near Carno.

Sections of the main A458, the B4385 and the C2013 were changed, with tight corners and some hedges moved to facilitate the journey.

Following the trial run, developers Awel Newydd and RES will hold two public information events to update local people about turbine component deliveries.

The first event will take place on July 12 in Pant Memorial Hall between 3pm and 7pm, while the second will be held on July 14, at the Newtown campus of the NPTC Group, between 3pm and 7pm.