Flood-hit road is closed after 18ft deep hole appears
A BUSY road, used for diversions during accidents, could be closed for a month — after floods left a hole 18 feet deep across it.
The B4328, between Whitland and Lampeter Velfrey, is a popular lane for motorists around the area who have now been forced to find other routes.
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The road between Whitland and Lampeter Velfrey which collapsed during last week’s floods
The hole appeared last week, after torrential rain caused flooding across the area, with fire crews inundated with calls.
Councillor David Simpson, ward member for Lampeter Velfrey, said he was first told about the hole on Monday, August 6.
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“The rain took away a piece of road about 40 yards across — maybe 30 — and across the width of the road.
“I think it was about 20 foot deep.”
Mr Simpson added that no cars were on the road at the time of the hole’s appearance.
“It just appeared,” he said.
“What amused me was that there is absolutely nothing there. Nobody knows what happened, the road has just been washed away in the floods.
“It’s like a space ship came, took this piece of road, and went. There’s not a jot of Tarmac there.”
He said Pembrokeshire council was working on the hole.
Mr Simpson added that he was originally told the road — used for diversions in case of accidents in the A40 — could be closed for two or three months.
Trouble
“If we do have an accident, we’ll be in trouble,” said Mr Simpson.
“It’s a very important road in the area.”
Mr Simpson added that while he was on his way to inspect the hole, he found a second in Lampeter Velfrey.
“I was driving down through the village, and saw some water spitting out of the road,” he said.
“I looked at it and thought ‘where is it coming from?’
“Then it started going across the road and went down a crack.”
He said he asked someone if the crack was there a moment before, and then put his heel in it.
“There was a hole about three or four feet.
“There was a gully under the road and water had washed everything away.”
He said he stood directing traffic while waiting on council workers to fix the problem.
A Pembrokeshire Council spokesman said the road would be closed for “several weeks”.
“It’s quite a big job, because it’s collapsed and is 18 foot deep,” he said.
“We have started cleaning out the hole, prior to work commencing.
“Now we have to design new culverts and that’s going to take a few weeks.”
Have you seen other giant pot holes appear since the floods? Email rachel.moses@ swwmedia.co.uk
Comments
by stclearstimes
Thursday, August 16 2012, 9:08PM
“I hope they fill the hundreds of potholes on our road in first. We have been waiting three years. Hey £200,000 for the chief exec, they can spare some change for tarmac surely.”