ROADS officials say they are looking at alternatives for commuters who park their car by the side of a busy road if lay-bys are closed as part of an initiative to reduce the number of accidents.

Commuters and lorry drivers use the lay-bys on the A466 Wye Valley link road but the bays could be closed as part of a plan to reduce accidents – with at least one of them expected to be closed soon.

Figures obtained by Chepstow Town Council show there were 77 accidents in four years on the mile-long stretch of road between the High Beech roundabout and junction two of the M48.

An investigation into what can be done to reduce accidents on the A466 Wye Valley link road is expected to report in September.

The issue of safety has moved up the agenda thanks to a campaign by the widow of a Monmouth man killed as he returned to his car in a lay-by.

Mrs Catherine Russell is working with the town council on the campaign to improve safety on the road which has a speed limit of 60mph.

Her husband Gerald was the third person in three years to be killed on the road.

The Welsh Government, which is responsible for the road, is looking at a number of options to improve safety.

Among the options to be considered are widening the road to make it dual carriageway for its entire length, creating islands for pedestrians, removing all lay-bys and keeping some with parking restrictions.

Warning signs are also expected to be erected along the road in the next few weeks.

Town mayor Cllr Dale Rooke said: “They (the Welsh Government) are planning on intermediate closure of a lay-by – but they haven’t specified which one – to see how that affects things.

“The council will not let it drop off the radar.

“If it takes two years to get something done it takes two yeasr but we will not give up on this.

“There will be some conclusion.”