A CONTROVERSIAL roundabout on the A466 at Chepstow Racecourse has been dubbed a 'dangerous fiasco' by angry councillors, who claim it is unsafe.

And the Free Press can reveal that there are flaws with the roundabout and that improvements will have to be carried out to get traffic to travel the right way around it.

The sheer level of complaints to councillors about the roundabout, already the subject of much controversy, urged mayor Councillor Henry Hodges to debate it at last week's Chepstow town council meeting.

He said the "volume of complaints over the safety of its layout" meant it had become an immediate matter of concern.

He said he and other councillors had been inundated with complaints claiming the new layout was creating confusion, was poorly sign posted and many drivers felt unsafe.

Questions also arose about the lack of street lighting in the area posing an additional safety threat.

Cllr Yvonne Havard said: "It was clear after the Welsh National it was a dangerous fiasco. It gridlocked the whole area. Residents living near the racecourse, including myself, couldn't even get out of our homes. And to find out from the Free Press the council used safer routes to schools and 106 money to fund it, well, it's a disgrace."

She added: "Not only was it created completely for commercial reasons and unnecessary, it is completely unsafe and shambolic."

Cllr Tony Redhead added: "It's a disaster. One resident told me he became so confused with the layout he ended up driving into the car park and got stuck in there because of the congestion. Others say they've almost been involved in accidents because of the poor layout."

Cllr Phylip Hobson called the scheme an "unmitigated disaster".

Cllr David Dovey said: "I was not in favour of the scheme and opposed it from the start as did Tintern councillor Ann Webb."

Monmouthshire Council's Head of Highways Paul Keeble told the Free Press he was aware of the problems adding: "It's definitely a problem. I have met with the designers to address the issue.

"The contractor failed to put the markings on correctly and we are in discussions for further improvements. The biggest concern seems to be with getting traffic to travel the right way and not bear to the left."

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