Posted: Mon 16th Aug 2021

BBC LDR clarifies statutory notice – No the A483 won’t be closed for over a year and a half

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Monday, Aug 16th, 2021

Part of the A483 in Wrexham will not be closed for 18 months, the BBC Local Democracy Service has clarified.

Last night Councillor David A Bithell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Environment & Transport, got in touch with Wrexham.com to clarify a public notice that had been placed in the USA megacorp Gannett Co. Inc. subsidiary Newsquest’s ‘local’ title.

Wrexham.com had not been provided with a copy of the statutory notice, either as a paid advert or otherwise, despite Wrexham Council ripping up their own rule book on such notices and apparently allowing them online only during the pandemic. It is unknown if Cllr Bithell approached other publications, and if they declined but no clarifications were visible this morning.

Independent Councillor for Chirk, Gareth Baines posted sections of the notice over the weekend, noting “A483 trunk road between Junction 1 (Ruabon Interchange) and the northern side of Halton Roundabout. Road will be closed from 6am on 1 September 2021 for a maximum duration of 18 months”.

That information caused a large swell of comments, with Cllr Baines clarifying: “I’ve asked for clarity, but the notification from Welsh Government regarding Ruabon to Halton makes no reference to times for that stretch (the other notifications do).”

Cllr Bithell told us, “This is a public notice which is required to be advertised and will only be operational when road works are required/planned , not continuous for 18 months, the notice also make reference to temporary speed restrictions as part of the legal order.”

No clarification has been issued by the publications paid vast sums to communicate such information by Wrexham Council and the trunk road agency (NMWTRA).

Cllr Bithell told us a statement should be forthcoming from the trunk road agency. No statement has emerged.

Readers may recall recent interactions with the NMWTRA failed to get responses.

Today the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service, paid for by the licence fee, has followed up on the communication issue and statutory notice and has worked to ensure clarification has been circulated – via the publication paid to help communicate to the local population in the story below.

Part of the A483 in Wrexham will not be closed for 18 months, a local authority has clarified. It follows a post being published on Facebook by a town councillor, which suggested a stretch of the dual carriageway between Ruabon and the Halton Roundabout would be shut for a lengthy period from September 1.

The incorrect information caused frustration and confusion, attracting more than 400 comments from residents who feared it would cause gridlock in the area. The deputy leader of Wrexham Council has now confirmed the long term closure of the key route is not on the cards. Cllr David A Bithell said the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA), which manages the road, had recently issued a statutory notice in relation to the A483.

However, he said the temporary traffic regulation order (TTRO) would only result in it being shut temporarily in the event of a crash or roadworks. He said: “The TTRO is for 18 months duration to allow work activities to proceed during that period. “This provides NMWTRA with the flexibility to implement the work that needs to be undertaken on the routes with the temporary speed limits etc being put in place, only when needed, and most often overnight. “This does not mean the road will be closed for 18 months. “This is a TTRO which is required to undertake the planned routine cyclic maintenance programme on the A483 but can also be used reactively in the event of an incident e.g. following safety barrier collision or potholes, to allow a repair. “TTROs are issued as part of a statutory process that the Welsh Government follow as a highway authority to implement temporary changes to speed limits etc. for driver and workforce safety reasons. By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter



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