ASSEMBLY Roads Minister Sue Essex is being invited to experience first hand the problems a new roundabout layout is causing motorists - by driving around it.

Monmouth AM David Davies has written to Ms Essex, inviting her to visit the Hardwick roundabout in Aberga-venny, following similar requests to Assembly highways officials which were turned down.

He and Councillor Brian Hood, the local member on Mon-mouthshire county council, have been campaigning for more than a year for a change in the road layout after numerous near-misses involving traffic travelling towards Usk.

Assembly highways officer Fred Pembridge attended a public meeting a year ago at The Bryn, where local people told him they risked their lives every time they drove around the roundabout.

They told him of the near-misses with traffic coming from the Hereford direction as they tried to negotiate the left-hand lane off the roundabout towards The Bryn and Usk.

This follows a change in the road layout after contractors resurfaced the roundabout and gave priority to traffic entering the roundabout from the Hereford direction.

Mr Davies said: "I feel the only way forward is for Sue Essex to meet me and Councillor Hood, allowing us, as regular users, to point out the problems as we drive around the roundabout.

"We have had considerable correspondence regarding the safety aspects of the reconfiguration of the roundabout, and this is still a source of considerable concern to users.

"I support their view that safety is severely compromised as a result of the lane changes, especially the entrance from the A465 from Hereford, which goes against all natural instincts and at busy times is downright dangerous. The current layout entails too much lane changing for traffic on the A40 from Abergavenny travelling towards the B4598 Usk road."

Councillor Hood added: "I do not understand why the civil servants won't listen. I believe on the council we do try to listen to people's views, why won't Assembly officers do the same?"