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A major landslip has caused the closure of the only main road serving a village in Monmouthshire, leaving local residents feeling isolated and raising concerns about the welfare of livestock. The landslip occurred on 30 January along the lane connecting Cwmyoy and Llanthony, creating a sharp vertical drop immediately adjacent to the road surface. This has effectively cut off direct road access to the community, forcing residents and businesses to rely on an alternate, much longer route.
The detour in place takes drivers along a narrow, single-track road that runs over Wales’ highest mountain. Locals report that this diversion significantly extends travel times, with some unable to navigate it at all, including suppliers who provide critical agricultural deliveries. Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed the road will remain closed until they can implement a “safe, engineered solution.” They warn that the unstable ground beneath the road could shift further at any time, making the area highly dangerous and the current road unusable.
Local farmers have voiced their alarm about the ongoing impact. Mark Morgan, a Llanthony resident and farmer, described how essential journeys have become far lengthier. “My father, who’s just coming up to 90, lives a couple of miles down the road,” Mark said. “Normally if he needs me for anything it’s a 10-minute trip to come and see him but now I’m looking at two-hours to get there and two-hours to come home again afterwards.” He also highlighted that emergency travel times have more than doubled, with trips to the nearest hospital now taking over an hour and a half. Mark has called for urgent temporary solutions, such as a provisional crossing or track near the landslip, expressing frustration that the response “just seems not fast enough” for affected residents.
Another farmer, Bryony Gittins, who tends to around 850 sheep, emphasized the critical timing and scale of the problem for livestock care. Bryony fears a shortage of food supplies during a vital feeding period for pregnant ewes, saying, “There will be starving animals.” She explained the challenges in maintaining necessary deliveries of hay and medical supplies, which are crucial as the sheep approach lambing season. “The implications are huge not just economically for the farm business itself… but also in the welfare for the sheep themselves, they’re hungry and they’ll get hungrier and hungrier and I don’t have anything to feed them, so it’s worrying me a lot.” Bryony urged that a solution must be found within weeks to prevent a worsening crisis.
Agricultural contractor Chris Powell also described significant disruptions to his business caused by the road closure. Many large vehicles, such as fuel tankers required for farming operations, cannot use the diversion route due to its narrow, challenging terrain. Consequently, some longstanding customers cannot be served, potentially threatening years of business relationships. Chris has proposed creating a temporary access route beside the landslip to restore essential connectivity quickly. He stressed the importance of both a short-term fix and longer-term safeguards to prevent similar events in the future.
Monmouthshire County Council has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and its risks to public safety. Engineers have studied the site and determined the road must remain closed until a stable, secure solution is engineered and put in place. The council has urged the public to respect the closure and avoid moving barriers or signage, as the tarmac could collapse without warning. They are coordinating with relevant departments to maintain essential services like emergency access, school transport, and waste collection throughout the disruption. While investigatory work has been positive, no definitive reopening date has yet been established
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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