LLANTWIT First Independent councillors are concerned about the speed of vehicles on the road leading to Llantwit Major Beach and are calling for better signage.
They say that the Vale Council’s response to requests from the group’s Vale Councillors has disappointed them.
Cllr Gwyn John told The Glamorgan Star that placing small signs on the existing signs, indicating that adults and children were walking on the road, was not a suitable response.
However, the Vale Council has defended the choice of signage, saying that the illustration used is ‘readily recognised’ by drivers.
Cllr Sally Hanks said: “What has been done is not what we wanted and is a waste of money. We wanted two large signs spelling out that people are walking in the road.
“It is too late when a vehicle speeds around a bend to face children in the road. Drivers need to slow down before a serious accident occurs.
”A Vale Council spokesperson responded: “Highway signs must confirm to certain set criteria as described in the Traffic Signs Manual and the Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions, as published by the Department for Transport. These have been endorsed by Welsh Government and ensure that appropriate messages are placed on the highway to cause minimal confusion.
“It is not practical to provide a printed sign ‘Beware Walkers on this Road’. This would need to be bilingual and is unlikely to convey the desired message more effectively than an approved and readily recognisable sign that has been designed for this purpose and is used widely on the road network around Wales and the UK.
“The warning signs have been placed at what are considered to be appropriate and prominent locations at either end of Beach Road as determined by professional and experienced traffic officers. These provide advanced warning to motorists of the potential presence of pedestrians as they are proceeding along the road. The signs are clearly readable and of a standard size for the given speed of the road.”
