CEREDIGION is the “poor relation” when it comes to road improvements funded by the Welsh Government and action needs to be taken now to improve safety, councillors have warned.

Cllr Maldwyn Lewis handed a petition to the National Assembly’s Petitions Committee calling for more improvement work on the county’s two main roads, including passing places to help frustrated drivers overtake slow vehicles safely on the A487.

Trunk Road Agency staff and the Welsh Government’s head of Network Planning were also quizzed on the lack of focus given to roads in Ceredigion.

Cllr Ceredig Davies, the chair of the coordinating scrutiny committee, said priority investment projects on Welsh roads should be announced by the end of September and he hoped there would be good news for Ceredigion.

He said: “It was because of concerns by councillors as to the safety of the A487 and A44 that a special overview and scrutiny committee was held.

“Representatives of Ceredigion’s highways section, Dyfed-Powys Police and the head of Network Planning from the Welsh Government were in attendance to answer questions and outline surveys and potential schemes that were being considered by all parties.

“Particular attention was given to speeding, the need for more passing places, better directional signs on diversionary routes and the de-trunking of the A487 through Aberystwyth town centre."

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