Work to cut road noise on A40 near Abergavenny to begin in summer

Responding to a question from Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay, Mr Skates said: “I’m very pleased to inform the member that design development of noise barrier and surfacing works for the action plan priority area near the Bryn on the A40 are currently being finalised, and works will begin this summer and autumn.”

Mr Skates’ announcement will be a relief to residents of roadside villages like The Bryn and Bryngwyn who have campaigned for many years for measures to combat the noise generated by traffic on the A40’s concrete road surface.

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Villagers have pushed for the road to be re-surfaced with a quieter material called ‘whisper tarmac’.

Mr Ramsay followed up by asking Mr Skates if the Welsh Government had considered reducing the speed limit “for at least a stretch of that road”.

He added: “In other areas where speed limits have been reduced, maybe to 50 mph, that does produce a lower level of noise pollution.

“It may be one easy, quick solution to actually dealing with some of that noise pollution.”

Mr Skates responded by saying he would report back after checking whether the area was one of 600 sites being assessed currently under a speed limit review.

He added that plans to construct a £4 million Wye bridge scheme would “alleviate congestion on the A40 coming into Wales, as well as improving traffic flows in Monmouth.

“We are investing as much as we possibly can with strained resources to ensure that we have better connectivity across Wales”.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Ramsay said: “ I’m pleased there is progress in the short term. Over the longer term we still need to see the road resurfaced with whisper tarmac.

“But rest assured, I’ll continue to press for improvements to congestion in other parts of Monmouthshire as both Monmouth and Chepstow are well-known black spots in the county that urgently need solutions as traffic continues to increase,” he said.