THE grandfather of a 23-year-old nurse who died after crashing off a Gwent road in 2019 has stressed that metal crash barriers are “the only answer” to stopping further tragedies.

It comes after another car crashed on a stretch of the B4251 known as the ‘Wyllie Bends’ near Wyllie in Caerphilly County on Thursday, March 30.

Leighton Reardon’s granddaughter Laurie Jones – a nurse from Pontllanfraith – had been driving home on the road between Ynysddu and Wyllie early on October 1, 2019, after a shift at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff when she crashed.

South Wales Argus: Another car crashed on the road on Thursday, March 30. (Picture: Joanne Jenkins) Another car crashed on the road on Thursday, March 30. (Picture: Joanne Jenkins)

Another car crashed on the road on Thursday, March 30. (Picture: Joanne Jenkins)

Her car had come off the road and was later found in the nearby Sirhowy River.

Caerphilly County Borough Council revealed in February that it would be making improvements to the road, including concrete posts and chain-link fencing.

The speed-limit on the road – which includes eight tight bends – was also reduced from 60mph to 40mph in summer 2020. Work was done to improve the road surface and chevron signs were also installed as well as vegetation being cut back.

However, Mr Reardon – who recently met with council representatives – has said that crashes will continue to happen on the road unless metal barriers are installed on the bends.

South Wales Argus: Laurie Jones died when she crashed on the B4251 in October 2019.Laurie Jones died when she crashed on the B4251 in October 2019.

Laurie Jones died when she crashed on the B4251 in October 2019

“We’ve been asking the council about metal barriers for years,” Mr Reardon told the Argus.

“In our last meeting with them, it felt like we were just talking to a brick wall because they’d clearly made their minds up about what they wanted.”

Mr Reardon quizzed the council on its decision to introduce concrete posts instead of metal barriers.

“They couldn’t give me any answers on why the concrete posts would be safer than a metal barrier,” he added.

“I was also told that because the speed limit had been reduced to 40 miles per hour, that it doesn’t qualify for metal barriers.”

Mr Reardon was also critical of the council’s decision to cut back vegetation on the road.

South Wales Argus: The council says a number of safety improvements have been made to the road.The council says a number of safety improvements have been made to the road.

“It seems to me like it’s made it worse,” he said.

“Because the danger of coming off at one of the bends and ending up in the river is much easier if there’s fewer obstacles in the way.”

Hundreds of members of a Facebook group calling for greater safety on the road have given their support to the introduction of metal barriers.

“Is it going to take another fatality like Laurie’s to get them installed?” Mr Reardon added.

Since 2014, nine accidents, including four “slight” accidents, have occurred on the road.

Work on the B4251 will cost Caerphilly County Borough Council around £350,000. It has not been announced when work will begin.

Council leader Philippa Marsden, who is the ward councillor for Ynysddu, said she was “really pleased” to see the plans for the road, which were presented to the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, February 9.

A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “A range of safety improvements have already been carried out along the B4251 including a reduced speed limit, new chevron signs, solid white lining to restrict overtaking and improvements to the carriageway surface. The council also recently agreed to provide additional fencing along the roadside.

“We continue to monitor the site and await information from the police about the cause of this latest accident.”