A controversial new roundabout has reportedly seen three crashes in recent days — including one which left an eight-year-old boy hurt and traumatised.
Angela Williams told WalesOnline she was heading from Hirwaun towards Llwydcoed on New Year's Eve with her husband Kenneth, daughter Emma and grandson Leeroy when another driver appeared not to see the A465 roundabout at Croesbychan and reportedly did not slow down. There was a three-vehicle pileup which left eight-year-old Leeroy with three minor head injuries, a cut neck, and whiplash. "He's traumatised terrible," said Angela. "It's going to take him a while to get over this."
People have commented on social media that there was another accident at the roundabout on the same day and that a third happened on December 23. Others have described near misses. "That bloody roundabout is unreal," read one comment in a Hirwaun Facebook group. "You can literally drive straight through it without even noticing a roundabout, hope everyone is ok but it needs sorted before someone is killed."
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Angela, 62, said the three-vehicle collision happened at around 5.10pm when the road was almost "pitch black". She believes better lighting and signage are desperately needed. "It's got to be done or there's going to be a tragedy," she added.
The roundabout, which connects side-roads from Hirwaun and Llwydcoed onto the A465, has temporarily replaced a staggered T-junction since May while the Court Lodge underbridge is built. The Welsh Government, which is responsible for the work, says the roundabout is signposted on all approaches and the western approach is lit by a tower light at the railway bridge.
Angela, whose husband was driving their MG car, said the other car was going in a "straight line" along the 40mph A465 route towards Merthyr Tydfil. "The other car kept going at the same speed," she said. "The driver obviously didn't think there was a roundabout.
"As we crossed over from Hirwaun to the Llwydcoed turning, it hit our car between our back door and back bumper. Leeroy was in the back seat with his seatbelt on and he took most of the impact. The crash pushed our car into a Renault van."
Angela, of Aberdare, said there were no injuries to those in the other two vehicles and the other driver passed a breath test when police arrived. Leeroy, in shock, was given oxygen as an ambulance took him to Prince Charles Hospital where he underwent tests until after 12am. He did not have concussion despite "red raw" marks to his head and "terrible" whiplash, Angela added.
Emma was heavily bruised while Angela and Kenneth both had whiplash. Their "crumpled" car is a write-off. "We were very lucky," said Angela. "I think God was with us. I don't know if I want another car after this. I need a few days to think about it."
On the same evening a local wrote on Facebook: "We had a crash by there today too, it's so bloody dangerous, cars ain't stopping, just driving out." Another commented: "It’s awful that roundabout. Two men in a van crashed into my daughter night before Xmas eve."
One local posted that the roundabout is "far too small" and "not lit correctly". They added: "I've seen three accidents there myself. They need to widen the roundabout and make more room for people coming around."
The Welsh Government told WalesOnline its contractors and site maintenance team are aware of the collision described by Angela and are "reviewing what happened". The roundabout has ‘give way’ signage and road markings at each entry point. As well as the tower light at the railway bridge, a new light has been added at the roundabout, says the Government.
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