20mph limit on Newport road 'won't be good enough' to stop car crashes say residents

  • Report by ITV Wales reporter, Richard Morgan

Residents living on a busy road in Newport say proposals for a 20mph speed limit "won't be good enough" to stop their cars from being crashed into.

In total, 20 cars have been written off after being hit by passing drivers on Chepstow Road in Newport, leaving residents furious.

The latest crash happened on Tuesday, just weeks after the police and local politicians met with them to discuss the issue.

Gerry, who has lived in his house for 80 years, has lost two cars

"I heard this familiar 'bang' and it's quite distinctive now the bang that you hear," said resident Joanne Crowley, who has lost 10 vehicles.

"I thought 'really?!', and I went to the window and noticed Jessica's car was smashed with a van.

"Even though they're not our fault we are still being punished by the increase every single time we have to get a new vehicle our insurance goes up."

Andrew Griffiths, another resident, said: "We've had people falling asleep, we've had drunk drivers, drug drivers.

"Apart from that thousands of cars pass this stretch every day of the week, and on the odd occasion they decide to write our cars off."

Newport Council has said it is not considering any additional traffic calming measures, but added that it will help to set up a community speed-watch scheme.

Pictures show a car which crashed into one of the neighbour's walls Credit: Media Wales

But some residents have said that doesn't go far enough.

Gerry Carter, who has lived in his house for 80 years and lost two cars, said it is time the residents were looked after as well as big businesses.

"They can put something in the road up there which is to slow the traffic down.

"If they can do it for the Celtic Manor when they're in full swing they can do it for us without any problem at all."

Some residents fear changing the speed limit to 20mph won't deter speeding drivers. Credit: Media Wales

The council has also said that Chepstow Road, like all restricted roads in Wales, will have a 20mph speed limit from September.

But it is feared that will not deter speeding drivers.

Mr Griffiths added: "If 30mph doesn't stop them, twenty is surely not going to stop them.

"Something needs to be done but it seems until we get an actual fatality nothing will be done."