Madam,

David Church’s assertion that there is no evidence that the original layout of the Bala road junction caused accidents is incorrect. A friend of mine was so badly injured at this junction that he had nearly a year off work. The problem is that, no matter what signage is put up, drivers from Bala come to the junction right at the end of a compara-tively sharp bend. It was very easy to encroach on the A470 if you didn’t know the road. Traffic lights at this junction have done very little or nothing to alleviate this problem. It is simply one of road layout. This corner should start much earlier and be more gradual.

Rumour has it that the ridiculous white lines here and at the Tywyn turn were “designed” by someone looking at a computer screen in Cardiff. Apparently no visit was paid to the site prior to this astonishing waste of white paint. If you are coming from Tywyn and wish to turn left, the hatching on the road constrains you to go straight on until you meet the main carriageway at right angles. You should be encouraged to filter left, as before, as soon as the road surface allows, so that you can see the traffic approaching from the right in your rear view mirror and join the A470 safely. Recently, someone has put road cones down to compel you to avoid the hatching. Coming from Barmouth and wishing to turn right to Tywyn, in the dark, all that is needed is an arrow helping you round the corner leading you to the left hand lane of the A493 Tywyn road. Strategically placed cats’ eyes on this arrow would alleviate the problem in poor visibility.

Although I have to agree that roundabouts are the ultimate answer to road safety at both junctions (here I flatly disagree with Andrew Currie and David Church), this is a very expensive way out of a relatively simple lane layout problem.I am convinced that the people who “design” these traffic hazards go to work on bicycles or the bus.

Yours etc

Nick Smyth

Llwyngwril.