Road works postponed following fatal TfW train crash

Major roadworks on the A470 have been postponed following a fatal crash involving two Transport for Wales trains.

Work was set to begin between Talerddig and Dolfach with a total closure of the road from October 31 – December 20.

The work would have provided a permanent solution on this stretch of road which has had traffic management in place since an emergency closure in October 2023, when a retaining wall which supported the road partially collapsed.

But the Welsh Government announced on Friday (October 25) the work would be paused until the New Year following the rail incident which took place on Monday evening.

Injuries

The crash saw two TfW trains collide head-on near Talerddig in Powys resulting in the death of a male passenger in his 60s from a suspected heart attack.

Four other people suffered serious injuries, and a further 11 sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the condition of the track on the approach to the collision point meant “adhesion” between wheels and rails was “relatively low”.

It said this suggested an Aberystwyth-bound train may have slid while braking, causing it to crash at a speed of around 15mph into a stationary train destined for Shrewsbury.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said the community needed time to come to terms with the events before road works commence.

Disruption

He said: “My thoughts are with all affected by the rail incident, and my sympathies are with the family of the man who lost his life

“Pausing the work at Talerddig until the New Year is the right thing to do at this point to allow time for the community to come to terms with the sad events which have taken place.

“While every effort is made to minimise disruption, beginning the work next week would have brought uncertainty at a difficult time.

“We will provide further updates on a revised timetable for the roadworks.”

Traffic lights will remain on the road for the rest of this year, with one lane closed and there will be regular monitoring of the road during this time.