A CALL has been made to lower the speed limit on the B4333 in Beulah and Bryngwyn.

Resident Janice McEwan fears someone could be seriously hurt or killed on the stretch of road after seeing her own five-year-old pet cat Rocco killed recently after being hit by a vehicle.

“We have long been concerned about speeding traffic on the B4333 in Beulah and Bryngwyn. The speed limit in both villages is 40 and the short stretch between them is national speed limit,” said Janice.

“In practice the 40 limit is regularly exceeded by traffic passing through. Neither village has pavements throughout and for some houses, their gate gives directly on to the road. Some residents will not walk the on the road at all and the stretch between the two villages is particularly dangerous as there is no pavement at all and drivers increase their speed as they come out of the 40 limit.

“We have a lot of heavy agricultural and commercial traffic passing through, much of this also at speed.”

Janice says that comparable villages on the B4333 in Carmarthenshire, such as Hermon, have a 30 limit and signs which flash if the limit is exceeded.

“On the A484 to Carmarthen most of the villages have a 30 limit plus flashing signs and the stretch between Rhos and Saron, which is comparable to the stretch between Beulah and Bryngwyn, remains at 30 throughout,” said Janice.

“Ceredigion Council did a speed limit review last year and did revise some limits downwards but Beulah and Bryngwyn were not included. We cannot understand why traffic is allowed to drive so fast through these residential areas. It is a danger to both people and animals.

“As well as our cat, a neighbour lost a dog last year. The police sit regularly catching people speeding on the edge of Cenarth but I have never seen any evidence of enforcement of speed limits here.

“I have written to the Ceredigion Council, Dyfed Powys Police and the local AM and MP to ask for support in reducing the speed limit and minimising the danger to residents and animals in Beulah and Bryngwyn.”

Beulah county councillor Lyndon Lloyd is well aware of residents’ concerns and said: “This has been raised with me quite often and officers in the highways department say they are looking at these issues.

“Vehicles accelerate between the two villages and don’t drop their speed when they get to the next village. I have asked for a 30mph limit in Bryngwyn but as well as a question of funding, it also has to be enforced.

“Put a police car there for the odd day or two and the words soon gets round and people slow down but it is also about drivers respecting the speed limit.”