Motorists have vented their frustration after a caravan transporter caused miles of congestion on the A487 in Ceredigion - while questions have been asked over the county's infrastructure.

Drivers saw their journeys severely delayed while lorries and larger vehicles struggled to inch past the cumbersome static caravan on the narrow cliffside roads.  

Motorists say the situation would have been potentially dangerous if the emergency services had needed to pass – while the caravan forced cars on to verges to avoid it and people to take risky overtakes. 

James Muntz Transport, the company hauling the caravan from New Quay to Caersws, says it had police clearance to make the disruptive journey along the major trunk road – and the route is planned by the authorities.  

He also said police force areas have embargoes for certain times to travel – while travelling in the dark is dangerous for those transporting.  

Once he had reached Aberystwyth on the A487, he said he encountered no other stoppages on the wider A44 towards Caersws.  

On social media, many focused on the state of infrastructure in west Wales and Ceredigion in particular – with narrow, outdated roads desperately in need of an upgrade.  

One commenter said: “This guy managed to royally mess up a lot of people's afternoons today!   

“We followed him from Aberaeron to Aber (took over an hour) before we turned up the road to Machynlleth!   

“Didn’t pull over once to let people pass and had many opportunities, only had the one escort (not police) vehicle in front who failed at his job as at least six lorries couldn’t pass, even traffic cones had to be moved for it to get through.   

“The traffic must have gone back for miles. (Traffic) turfed up stretches of verges too!  Good work!  

“I appreciate it's not an easy job, but the time of day could have been chosen better possibly, and they could have pulled over for people to pass.   

“The police did intervene eventually after they saw how far the traffic tailed back.” 

Another commenter said: “The only people to blame are the Ceredigion (County Council) highway (authority) for not upgrading the road infrastructure to give businesses and folks a chance to keep up with the times. And that goes right across Wales starting with the M4.” 

Posting on a Facebook group, one said: “We were following the same lorry and we must have been just behind you; traffic was miles back when I looked in rear view mirror.  

“That escort should have been way in front of the lorry to stop the traffic coming in opposite direction down the hill.” 

“It took me 10 minutes to get to Aberaeron from Llanrhystud and 1 hour and 15 minutes to get back... 

“How would the people moving this not know it was at a very busy time and there were three lots of traffic lights on the route.  

“And early yesterday there was a a smash on that road good job the ambulance had been and gone.  

“By the time I got back the queue was about four miles long.” 

Mr Muntz said he transports caravans and wide loads all over the country and rarely, if ever, receives criticism like he has in the last 24 hours. He said the police officers who attended checked his documentation and left him because he was fully compliant with regulations the agreed route. 

He said his firm was granted a Movement Order via the UK Government's online portal Esdal prior to the journey. He said the route and time of the journey are decided by the regional police force. 

"All the way from New Quay to the other side of Aberystwyth there was not a layby empty or suitable for me to pull in to let traffic pass,” he said.  

“I understand motorists get frustrated with hold ups, but they have to remember how many caravan parks and caravans are in Wales, boosting its economy.   

“We run an escort vehicle on every job, as I find it safer and easier to do so - even if it is not a requirement by the police on every job.  

“The escort driver is there to warn other road users of the oncoming wide load, but they are limited to the fact they aren't legally allowed to tell anyone to stop and wait, only ask nicely.  

“My escort driver is very good at his job and polite, but there is only so much he can do when people ignore him and think they can squeeze past when he has asked them to wait literally a minute in the wider part of the road that he has met them.  

“So please remember, I'm not the one who ordered such a big caravan and I'm not the one who approved the route, but we are the ones trying to safely deliver the caravans which provide so many tourists and income for the small towns and villages of Wales.”