Since the sanctuary opened 25 years ago there has always been a problem with traffic. The sanctuary (previously a working farm) is split in to two sides as there is a 60mph road that goes through the middle. The road is a 'U' road, not even a 'B' road! It's a single track lane.
Back then there would be the odd speeding car but now it is worse than it has ever been. The road is treated like a drag strip. Jan & Graham who own the sanctuary have petitioned for traffic calming since the sanctuary was established. It was a paper petition back then with hundreds of signatures but nothing came of it.
We have up to 40,000 visitors every year many of which are children. On a bank holiday we could have up to 700 visitors & because of the amount of people and cars this means that we would put a member of staff, in hi-vis, in the car park, guiding people where to park and slowing traffic going through.
As the sanctuary is split in to two sides, it means that visitors have to cross the road.
I wrote to local councillor David Arnold Thomas in 2019. I wrote to Kirsty Williams (Lib Dem MS) in 2019. Finally, after 9 months of waiting had a speed test (where they put wires on the road) & Powys Council Traffic Officers concluded that 'there is no speeding issue and no reason to take any further action'.
This is not accurate when vehicles purposely slow down to go over the wires!
For the last 3 years I have been uploading CCTV & ANPR footage to GO SAFE & Powys Police, sometimes even Twitter.
Just last year there was a major accident on the main road near the sanctuary. Powys Council directed all traffic (no matter the size!) through the sanctuary. This was nearly 900 vehicles up and down the lane. We had 2 members of our staff in hi-vis & sometimes 4 staff. I even got bumped with the wing mirror of an angry driver.
I have sent countless emails to the area traffic engineer south at Powys Council, who has point blank refused to attend any meeting with us. Fay Jones MP has sent countless emails to Powys on our behalf.
We even had a meeting in Oct 2023 with Powys, a local resident, Ystradgynlais Police, Iain McIntosh Chief of staff to Fay Jones & Go Safe. I produced a PowerPoint presentation and ultimately asked what could be done to the road. Whether that be speed bumps, painting the road, lowering the speed limit, putting up more signs etc. We were told that the road does not qualify!!
At the end of the day, like I have said in my emails, it is just a matter of time before something catastrophic happens. We are responsible for our visitors. We are not responsible for speeding through traffic.
I urge you to do something about the road now.
I have the full support of Fay Jones MP, Go Safe and Ystradgynlais Police.
Thank you in anticipation for taking this matter seriously.
Rosie Nelson
Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary.
