A DEDICATED park and ride car park, extra lanes and a new lorry park are just some of the measures being considered to alleviate dangers on the A466 Wye Valley link road.

Chepstow Town Council met with members of the public, police and Monmouthshire County Council officers in a special meeting to discuss potential alterations to the road last Wednesday (16th March).

Amongst those present was Catherine Russell, widow of the late Gerald Russell, who lost his life crossing the road in October last year. Mrs Russell was joined by her two daughters, Anna Cheshire and Katy Russell.

The family addressed those present in a plea to improve the safety of the road, which claimed the lives of three people between 2013 and 2015.

Councillors considered several options, including erecting a crash barrier and adding a second lane to the northbound carriageway, turning the road into a dual carriageway.

They also discussed blocking off the lay-bys on both sides of the road, and providing a special park and ride car park elsewhere in town, as well an idea for a lorry park which could provide a safer location with better facilities for lorries passing through town.

Councillors are also keen to deter pedestrians and dog walkers from crossing the road, and so options around fencing and signage along the hedges were discussed.

Speaking of the collision which claimed her husband’s life, and why she decided to speak out to the council, Mrs Russell said: “I didn’t want my husband to be a statistic.

“He was 72, but he was active; he worked our five acres, we had bees and chickens, and helped with our daughter’s donkeys. I wanted them to know the sort of person he was.

“On the day of the collision, we were at St Pierre in Chepstow all morning as I was undergoing physiotherapy for a hip replacement at the time, and he wanted to go over to Ikea in Bristol to get some furniture in the afternoon as he was redecorating his study.

“We had been in two cars, but to take one car to Bristol we stopped in the lay-by on the A466 to leave his car there.

“We came home at around 5pm; I remember it was dusk, and drizzling at the time. I said I would take him down to the High Beech roundabout and back up to collect his car so he didn’t have to cross the road, but he said: “Don’t be silly, I’ll go across.”

“He kissed me, and then said: “I’ll see you back at the house”.

“I was just about to drive off, when I heard a thud, and saw something fly through the air.

“I stopped the car and ran into the road, stopping the traffic. I found where he was lying and knew straight away he wasn’t going to survive.

“I remember very clearly running to the side of the road, looking up and seeing an old bouquet of flowers and a teddy tied to the fence. I realised it was the exact spot someone had been killed before. I knew then that something had to be done.

“I’ve since spoken to our MP David Davies, our AM Nick Ramsay, Transport Minister Edwina Hart, Ian Johnston the Police and Crime Commissioner, Monmouthshire County Council and the south Wales Trunk Road Association. Basically anyone who I think can help get this changed.

“My first idea was to get rid of the lay-bys and hopefully find a designated parking area for people wanting to cross the bridge. My idea was the New House industrial estate.

Secondly, the road should be a dual carriageway with a crash barrier, and the speed limit should be reduced.

“These measures might just save one person.

“I’m out of my comfort zone with this campaign, but people have been very encouraging. Edwina Hart has been very supportive, and Councillor Blakebrough has been very good to me.

“Gwent Police have been very good too.

“I want people to know that I don’t blame the people who hit my husband. I have to live with this for the rest of my life and so do they. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and it must be dreadful for them.

“There really is no blame, it was a tragic accident. I want to do something about this road because I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this.”

Councillors left the meeting in agreement that they would reach out to the Welsh Government for more information about what changes can be implemented on the road, and Monmouthshire County Council officers are to seek more information about the presence of footpaths and the possibility of altering them.

Town Mayor Dale Rooke closed the meeting reassuring Mrs Russell that the wheels of change were now in motion. “I can certainly guarantee you that this isn’t going to go away from the council now,” he said.