A TYCROES county councillor has expressed his dismay that the South Wales Trunk Road Agency has done nothing to make crossing Pontarddulais Road any easier.

SWTRA is responsible for Pontarddulais Road, the main road through Tycroes, which Cllr Calum Higgins and the community council maintain should have a pedestrian crossing.

Last year, Llanedi community councillors were told there would be no crossings assessment of the road for a year.

SWTRA stated that traffic speeds were slow outside Tycroes School, due to congestion and cars parking on the main road; since then the school has opened a new car park and drop-off point.

Cllr Higgins has written to the agency highlighting the need for a 20mph limit outside the school now that there are fewer cars parked on the main road.

“Everyone in Tycroes thinks there should be a crossing on the main road and there is a consensus that there should be a 20mph limit around school hours,” he said. “I’m appalled the agency hasn’t even bothered to answer my letters on the issue.”

However, the Assembly Ministers in Cardiff have been encouraging 20mph zones outside schools and have produced guidance that allows 20mph zones around schools on trunk roads.

Cllr Higgins is now calling on SWTRA to meet the community council in Tycroes for councillors to make the case for a 20mph zone “With the Assembly on the side of safety, SWTRA should have to explain why it thinks a 20mph zone isn’t needed,”

he said. “Most people would be happy with one around school hours and a return to normal speeds in holidays and evenings.”

He added that Llanedi Community Council would be meeting as separate wards on a regular basis from next month, when the Pontarddulais Road situation would undoubtedly be on the agenda.