Delays to clear the rockfall on the A40 which caused a closure of the road in February are still in the planning stages. Meanwhile traders and motorists in Monmouth still suffer with traffic gridlock, made worse by collisions such as the one last Friday, May 10 when a two-car crash saw both carriageways closed to clear the road. It was reported that one car was in the hedge on Ross side, the other was in the fast lane coming from Ross towards Monmouth. There were large tailbacks on the A40 from Monmouth towards Ross southbound and past Raglan northbound following the crash at the Dixton roundabout, made worse by a broken down vehicle on Wye Bridge. Traffic Wales South urged drivers to avoid the area and find an alternate route.

The A40 was gridlocked northbound back through the Gibraltar tunnels to Raglan services from the lights.

Some drivers reported heading back to Ross as they couldn’t “t get anywhere near Monmouth!”

Drivers were diverting via Rockfield, Skenfrith, Whitchurch and Llangrove, making the roadworks at Bridges a nightmare to negotiate.

Traffic was beginning to move again shortly after 5pm.

Traffic management specialists have drawn up four options which will enable roadworkers safe working space at Leys Bend for the debris to be removed and for more detailed surveys to be carried out on the embankment.

One lane is still currently closed on the eastbound carriageway with a temporary concrete barrier in place to stop any further rocks falling into the path of traffic.

National Highways Route Manager, Joseph Walmsley, said: “We need to strike a balance between getting the debris removed as safely and as soon as possible, but also minimising disruption on this busy route for drivers and local communities.

“Our experts have now devised four options for closing the road to enable the removal to take place but we want to get input from our key stakeholders and local authorities to make sure we choose the option that will best suit everyone.

“Safety is always our priority which is why we have had to partially close the road but we are aware of the disruption this incident has caused and are anxious to limit any further disturbance as much as possible.”

The four options are:

  • Four full weekend closures of the A40 during the school holidays this summer

  • A contraflow reducing the road to one lane in each direction beginning in September and remaining in place until mid-October with some lane and overnight closures in August and October

  • Four full weekend closures in September, avoiding the main summer holiday period

  • A contraflow put in place in October, after the summer, and in place until early November with some overnight closures in September and November. on the A40 for the protection of drivers following the rockfall

Potential diversion routes during the closures are also being considered but all will aim to reroute the traffic away from the town of Monmouth.

Since the rockfall in February, engineering specialists have been investigating the damage caused, the stability of the hillside and options for carrying out repairs.

Route Manager Joseph added:

“Our investigations into this complex situation have been extensive as we had to be confident that the repairs we carry out can be done safely and will not affect the stability of the hillside. We are grateful to people for their continued patience while we deal with this unexpected situation.”

A webpage has been set up to provide the latest updates and information about the scheme and can be found here: