- Abertillery Online Discussion Forum -

martyn142 · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject: Weird goings on in Swffryd

Anyone who drives through Swffryd will know about the traffic calming measures - loads of speed-bumps along the length of the estate. The first to appear was almost directly on the bend as you reach the brow of the hill, the area where a few unfortunate people have gone through the barrier in recent years.

Not necessarily a bad idea obviously in view of these accidents. However it appeared unannounced and without any signs initially so that I hit it pretty hard the first time. Fortunately I was going up the hill but it occurred to me that it would be quite dangerous for anyone hitting it unexpectedly coming the other way as they might lose control and hit the barrier or worse.

Anyway it was soon joined by some warning signs and by other speed bumps. This meant that if you were driving through the estate going towards Abertillery, by the time you hit the bend you would be driving very carefully as you would have had to negotiate 5-6 others bumps, so no danger of you losing control unless you were being very reckless.

However, a couple of days ago I noticed that the bump on the bend has gone again! The bump at the other end of Swffryd, outside the entrance to Pine Valley, also disappeared for a while after its initial appearance but is now back again. That was due to road resurfacing. I've no idea why the other one has gone - anyone got any idea?

jools · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 36 Location: just outside Aber

It could be to do with more re-surfacing.

One of the election leaflets we had said that the 'old' road from Aberbeeg, through Llan and up to Swffryd is being resurfaced.

Off the point a bit but......I have questioned when the street where I live which has been badly damaged by the heavy vehicles during the regeneration works is going to be resurfaced (instead of filling and re-filling pot-holes). The response I had was that unless the councils strategy changes, never.!!!

A and B roads have priority and there is a backlog of £25 million of resurfacing work in Blaenau gwent.

Anybody heard anything different, or managed to get their street resurfaced ?

Tchambuli9 · Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 83 Location: BLAENAU GWENT

My friend's sister lives in Blaencuffin Road. Resurfacing is imminent there, apparently.
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jones129 · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 10

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1546 Location: Abertillery

martyn142 · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 6:33 am Post subject: Re: Weird goings on in Swffryd

jones129 · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 10

martyn142 · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Weird goings on in Swffryd

Ian · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 153 Location: Abertillery

Last time I went through was the day they were bolting the originally placed humps to road at the top of the hill.Obviously designed to slow traffic down,bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted and not as effective in my opinion as a crash barrier as a solution to the problem in that location.Although not neccessarily in favour of humps,where one would be of use I think is on the bend outside the library,the speed that traffic comes around that corner,I'm always suprised there aren't more accidents on the junction by the Bush. Shocked

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Ian · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 153 Location: Abertillery

Further to my last posting I have now driven through Swffryd,I must say that the last set of bumps before the hill(Llanhilleth end) are in my opinion totally useless.They are too far back to slow cars down before the hill and with a small car you can almost drive between them.If this is BGBC'S method of traffic calming it is in my opinion going to fail dismally. Shocked

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Mike · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 24

So what is it with the speed limit on the `Swffryd or Sofryd` hill?
Going down it's a 30MPH limit but going up it's a 40MPH limit (check out the signs and see for yourselves)?

Ian · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 153 Location: Abertillery

Didn't notice Mike,however I don't think many I've seen going either way were driving at 30mph or 40mph. Confused

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martyn142 · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 3:02 pm Post subject:

Something else I noticed the other day. At the bottom of the hill the road markings remain the same so that technically you have to turn off to go up the hill and have to give way coming down. I'm surprised there han't been an accident at the junction as a lot of drivers assume they have priority coming down the hill.

However to make it worse, I was using a SatNav the other day (not to get to Swffryd!) and it showed the main road as being the hill. So if you were using a SatNav coming down the hill you might well drive straight out without looking.

martyn142 · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject: