
Closures on key Powys A-roads delayed due to 'unforeseen programming issues'
The road closure along the A44 will start on Friday, June 20. (Image: Google Street View) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.
Road closures along two of Powys' busiest routes have been postponed due to "unforeseen programming issues and poor weather".
A section of the A44 between Llangurig and Aberystwyth was planned to shut during the daytime from Monday (June 16) but has since been pushed back to later this week.
The road will be closed on Friday (June 20) from 7am to 7pm, then reopen for the weekend before closing again for five days from Monday, June 23, to Friday, June 27.
The Welsh Government explained that the road closure between Ty'n y Cwm and Sweet Lamb, Pantmawr was delayed due to poor weather.
READ MORE | Diversions to be put in place as Welshpool by-pass faces string of closures
All works are being planned to avoid roadworks on the A44 during the National Road Cycling Championships 2025 in Aberystwyth which takes place on Friday, June 27, and Sunday, June 29.
"We appreciate this has caused some confusion and we apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused," Traffic Wales said.
"After liaising with Powys County Council, we can now confirm that these works have been postponed due to unforeseen programming issues and poor weather."
Night-time roadworks from 7pm to 6am along the A483 and A489 Newtown Bypass were also due to start earlier this week but have also been postponed until Wednesday, June 25, to Monday, June 30, again "due to unforeseen programming issues".
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Wales Online
New pictures show the massive damage to tunnel after crane fire
New pictures show the massive damage to tunnel after crane fire Images show the charred lorry, the damaged tunnel and fire crews on the scene of the A55 between Conwy and Llandudno Junction The charred wreckage of a lorry engulfed in flames in the Conwy Tunnel on Thursday (Image: North Wales Fire and Rescue Service ) Shocking new images have emerged showing the aftermath of a lorry blaze that caused chaos in the Conwy Tunnel this week. Thousands of motorists and passengers were stranded for hours in the heat after the fire broke out just before 2pm on Thursday. The photographs were released by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) to reveal the extent of the damage to the lorry and the tunnel itself, following the incident on the A55 between Conwy and Llandudno Junction. The Welsh Government has issued a warning that further shutdowns of the tunnel may be necessary over the next few weeks. In response to the "significant crane lorry fire" in the westbound Conwy Tunnel on the A55, which led to substantial delays and a complex emergency operation, NWFRS stated that teams from various agencies in North Wales responded "swiftly and professionally". Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, has since expressed his gratitude to the emergency services and others involved for their "swift and coordinated" efforts, reports North Wales Live. Firefighters were called to a lorry fire in the Conwy Tunnel on Thursday afternoon (Image: North Wales Fire and Rescue Service ) Article continues below The fire service was called to the scene at 1.48pm on Thursday, and they implemented the Operational Tactical Plan, which is based on collaborative emergency drills with other local agencies. At just before 3pm, NWFRS declared a major incident. At the peak of the emergency, ten fire engines, four specialist vehicles, a welfare unit, and eight officers were present at the scene. The firefighters faced "intense heat and difficult tunnel conditions" but managed to extinguish the blaze by 4.20pm, around two hours and 20 minutes after it started, with no injuries reported. NWFRS confirmed that their teams stayed on site into the evening alongside the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, structural engineers, and others to carry out essential safety checks. Due to the efforts of NWFRS, the eastbound tunnel was able to reopen under contraflow in the early hours of Friday morning. Mike Plant, head of planning, performance and transformation for NWFRS, praised the response: "The response to this incident was an outstanding demonstration of professionalism, resilience, and teamwork." He commended the swift and effective action of the crews, officers, and control staff, which he said played a crucial role in preventing the situation from worsening. Plant expressed his gratitude towards the NWFRS team and partners, highlighting the significance of collaboration. Today, Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, extended his thanks to the emergency services and others for their "swift and coordinated" response, noting that many had recently practised for such scenarios in an exercise. Firefighters were called to a lorry fire in the Conwy Tunnel on Thursday afternoon (Image: North Wales Fire and Rescue Service ) Mr Skates said: "A resilience planning exercise held a few months ago on the A55 at Conwy Tunnel between Welsh Government, NMWTRA, NW fire and rescue service and other emergency service looked at this scenario and has paid off as it was implemented yesterday to help minimise damage. The close working with our partners continues, with multi-agency meetings taking place as we deal with the aftermath of the incident." He expressed gratitude to the public for their "patience and understanding" during the disruption, acknowledging that "We fully recognise the significant impact that incidents like this can have on communities, businesses, and individuals across Wales." Mr Skates explained that the tunnel's closure was necessary for safety reasons, and although a diversion was in place, it would have increased journey times and caused disruption. He added: "I am pleased, thanks to the tireless efforts of all involved, the tunnel has partially reopened this morning. Traffic is now flowing through the unaffected bore under contraflow arrangements." He concluded: "Repair works are already being planned, and our teams are working relentlessly to assess the damage and restore the tunnel to allow it to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. I will be visiting the tunnels this weekend, but want to be clear, this phase will take time. Article continues below "We will provide more information as the assessments progress. Further tunnel closures or traffic management measures may be necessary in the coming weeks for the recovery phase and allow more permanent repairs to take place." He also advised individuals to carry additional food and water.


Spectator
13 hours ago
- Spectator
It's time to ban the Chelsea tractor
City dwellers across Europe will have noticed an ominous and growing presence on our streets, nudging cyclists onto pavements, looming over pedestrians crossing the road, and generally spoiling the view. It is gratifying to learn that we are neither going mad nor shrinking in the wash: cars really are becoming huge. The bonnets of newly-sold cars across Europe now average 83.8cm in height, up from 76.9cm in 2010 – coincidentally the perfect height for caving in a toddler's head. That's according to a new report from Transport & Environment (T&E), an advocacy group for clean transport and energy that is campaigning against what it calls 'carspreading'. A resident of Zone 3 has no business owning a car that can trace its lineage to the Jeep Ironically for a vehicle so closely associated with mums doing the school run, the Chelsea tractor is a clear danger to primary-aged children, making it much likelier that the driver will squish them into the tarmac. A similar fate awaits adults, though the lucky ones will merely absorb the impact in their torso, where they keep their vital organs. This shows there's only one thing for it: it's time to ban four-wheel drives from Britain's cities. Bluntly put, a resident of Zone 3 has no business owning a car that can trace its lineage to the Jeep, a vehicle literally built to fight Nazis. Whatever the shortcomings of Sadiq Khan, no London street is sufficiently dangerous that you need a light utility vehicle to navigate it – or at least, no street that a man who could afford a Land Rover might live in. The yummy mummies of Clapham, the financial bros of Hampstead, or the international wealth treating Chelsea as their playground – none of them should be allowed a four-wheel drive. The growing height of car bonnets is partly down to an increasing number of SUVs, to use the American term for a four-wheel drive. T&E reckon they account for a little over half of new cars sold in Europe, with many 4×4 bonnets sitting more than a metre off the ground. Four-wheel drives are therefore likely to account for a growing proportion of the nearly 30,000 people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain each year in road collisions. While the bulk of the roughly 1,600 deaths are car or motorcycle users, about a quarter are pedestrians. Such incidents are sufficiently commonplace that we don't normally read about them. One noteworthy exception, however, did catch public attention in July 2023. Driving through Wimbledon, Claire Freemantle lost control of her Land Rover Defender and ploughed through the fence at The Study Prep school, killing eight-year-old Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau. Initially arrested for dangerous driving, Freemantle was eventually let off without charge on the grounds she had suffered a seizure. The case has since been reopened. Unsurprisingly, Europeans have alighted on the old standby to any problem: more regulation. The heads of various worthy causes have written to the European Commission urging them to commit to months of fruitful work to create limits on how big new cars can be. Their suggested implementation date is a decade hence, by which point we will presumably all be driving SUVs. The response from Brussels has been wholly inadequate, a predictably timid European disappointment. But free from the EU's clutches, the British should act decisively: we should outlaw the Chelsea tractor on our own. Four-wheel drives are no doubt safer for their passengers. Analysis by The Economist of American road accidents last year concluded that the fatality rate of occupants in a Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup truck was about half that of those travelling in a Honda Civic. But such safety comes at the expense of everyone else. As cited in the same report, a 2004 paper by Michelle White of the University of California estimated that for every deadly crash a 4×4 avoids, there are 4.3 more among other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. The negative externalities pile up from there. Larger vehicles generally pollute more, consuming more fuel to move more weight and emit more CO2. Their tyres leave more particles in the air, water and soil. They also create more potholes in the roads, such damage often being cited as a reason to own a 4×4 in the first place. That's alongside the sheer intimidation of a small tank driving down streets built for horses and carts, as well as the inconvenience to others when you try to park. When they aren't running you over or polluting your lungs, Chelsea tractors make cities uglier and unpleasant for everybody else. Yes, there should be exemptions. Any man in possession of an actual tractor may legitimately be in want of a SUV. Just as we allow farmers to shoot vermin, we should allow them to haul equipment in a four-wheel drive. Jeremy Clarkson need not return to the barricades over this policy. But as for the rest of us, there is simply no need. Get the urbanites off their tractors and back in their hatchbacks.


Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Everyday summer item could cause £200 damage to your car
Everyday summer item could cause £200 damage to your car The oily substance is notorious for leaving nasty stains on vehicle upholstery It's the nemesis of car seats (Image: Getty Images/Car Culture ) Motorists who make this hot weather mistake could face a £200 repair bill, it was been warned. As Wales is currently experiencing a heatwave, don't get caught out by this costly error. Drivers have been warned to avoid contaminating car seats with sunscreen or sun cream - as the oily substance is notorious for leaving nasty stains on vehicle upholstery that can be a nightmare to remove. Motorists might ultimately have to pay for their vehicle's cabin to be professionally cleaned, an expense which can cost £200. Managing director at Select Car Leasing, Graham Conway, said the water-resistant nature of sun cream is what makes it "the nemesis of car seats". He explained: 'When the temperature rises, sun cream is a must, particularly if you're out and about in the car, as harmful UV rays can penetrate both windscreens and side windows. 'But sun cream and car seats are also a recipe for stains that can be near-impossible to remove. Article continues below 'Sun cream is, by its very nature, water resistant so that it doesn't disappear from your skin at the first sign of sweat or moisture. 'But because it's resistant to water, sun cream also repels common interior car cleaning products. If it's left too long on vehicle upholstery, you might struggle to get rid of the stain at all.' According to experts at the British Skin Foundation, there are two main types of sunscreen in the UK; chemical sunscreens and mineral sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens often appear much whiter on the skin and contain the chemicals titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. And it's these oxides that can leave a stubborn white residue on car seats, particularly leather or artificial leather. Mr Conway added: 'Prevention here is better than cure - if you accidentally slap sun cream on your car seats, try and remove it with a cleaning wipe as soon as you can." For more stubborn sun cream car stains, the advice differs between experts, with some recommending using a mild degreaser or applying white wine vinegar to the stain. Other advice is simply to use baby wipes - with a pack of wipes costing just £1. American YouTuber and dermatologist Dr. Scott Walter's advice has been viewed more than 35,000 times. In the video, he says: 'I love sunscreen but one thing I hate about it, it gets all over my car. I finally found something to clean it without doing any damage - baby wipes. Baby wipes do a fantastic job of removing it without hurting the leather or other parts of the car.' Mr Conway said that when the sun is out people should use at least SPF 15 sunscreen with UVA protection when in their car. But he added: 'You should avoid leaving a bottle of sunscreen in your car's glovebox. 'While it might be convenient when it comes to applying protection before you set off on a journey, some of the active ingredients in sunscreen actually break down when exposed to high heat from sitting in your car, rendering it less effective.' Article continues below