COMMUNITY councillors in Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon have been told it's "illegal" for them to pay for 20mph repeater signs on a road they say is not safe.

The community council has previously asked for traffic calming measures on The Highway - but these were refused as the road is "too narrow".

The Highway runs from Chapel Lane to the junction with Woodland Road, passing The Upper Cock Pub and Croesyceiliog Adult Education Centre.

Since then the Welsh Government has introduced a 20mph limit in built-up areas where a driver sees a road with street lighting no more than 200 yards apart.

This now applies to The Highway but community councillors say some drivers are continuing to exceed the former 30mph limit, even though the limit on the road has dropped to 20mph.

A meeting of Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon Community Council's Business Planning Committee on Wednesday, January 10, heard the group had made a request to Torfaen Council to pay for 20mph repeater signs to be fixed on lamposts to remind drivers of the new limit - but had been told these signs were "illegal".

Cllr Sean O’Dobhain, Croesyceiliog North Ward, said that some 20mph signs had been "vandalised" in the county so they should wait "until things calm down before spending money on more signs".

Committee chairman Cllr Colin Crick, who represents Croesyceiliog South, said they weren't spending any money until they found out why it was "illegal according to legislation in Wales" to have 20mph repeater signs.

Cllr Mark Price, Croesyceiliog South Ward, said cars travelled at a "blistering" speed down The Highway.

Cllr Crick said The Highway runs parallel with Edlogan Way yet they were "treated differently" by the county council.

He said Edlogan Way had speed bumps and this has led to The Highway now being the "rat run".

Edlogan Way also has four priority chicanes, each alternating on either side of the road, where vehicles have to give way to allow other drivers through.

The community council's minutes from June 2022 about traffic concerns on The Highway recorded: "Members were particularly worried about excessive speeding placing pedestrians in real danger including very young children.”

A spokesperson for Torfaen County Borough Council said: "The Authority is unable to provide any form of 20mph repeater signs to remind motorists of the speed that at which they should be driving.

"The council as Highway Authority is only able to provide terminal signs, e.g. the larger signs at the start and exit of a 20mph speed limit now, as this speed limit is signed by way of a compliant street lighting system, such as a 30mph speed limit would have been prior to the 17th September.”