AN MP and councillors have paid a site visit to major roadworks on the Wye Valley route amid anger from residents and business owners at the continued closure as the peak tourist period starts.
They learnt that the contractor CAN had been hampered after three of its four specialist drill heads became jammed in the limestone rock face.
A new completion date of Friday, August 2, has now been set – two weeks after its original date – and the A466 will remain closed until the work is finished.
Anyone needing to get to Tintern from Chepstow has to follow a long detour via Monmouth or use a narrow lane which is unsuitable for large vehicles and is falling apart under the strain of traffic.
The party heard how four sections of the A466 are being worked on. Mr Davies said: “On the first sections, the rock has simply been cut back to a gradual slope. But further along the rock face at the side of the road it becomes a lot steeper.
“The contractor is stabilising it by drilling steel rods into the rock, bolting them in, then surrounding everything with a wire mesh.”
“It is a designated Special Area of Conservation and a potential roosting area for bats,“This greatly restricts the kind of work that can be carried out, as well as making it necessary to wait until the spring – scant consolation to those who are losing business during the peak tourist period,” said the MP.
“While the situation on site has been extremely tricky, we were told that 80 per cent of the drilling has now been done, which is the major part of the project, so hopefully it will all be completed early in August.
“As far as we could see, everything that could be done is being done to get it finished.”
Monmouthshire councillor Ann Webb (St Arvans, Con) described the visit as “well worthwhile” and said it was “very challenging” for those working on site.
“I have been liaising with local businesses to keep them informed and fully understand their concerns, so I wanted to come down and see things for myself,” she said.
Tintern parish councillor Angus Ashman, who is a building surveyor, said: “There have been major difficulties here, but the timescale is disappointing.”
Monmouthsire Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Cllr Jane Pratt added: “The narrowness of the road and the potential danger from drilling into an unstable rock face has made it difficult to increase the numbers on site.
“I understand the frustration of residents and businesses. Our priority is to ensure that this road is safe.”