NEW housing developments in the Eastern Vale could lead to 12,000 more car trips on the B4276 between Barry and Cardiff by 2025, it has been claimed.

The Barry to Cardiff Link Road Pressure Group has claimed that the proposed development of nearly 4,000 homes in the area will lead to unmanageable levels of traffic without a bypass which extends from Barry to Cardiff.

The heaviest increases will be seen on Sully Moors Road, which will see a 35 per cent rise in traffic, and on the A4055 through Dinas Powys where the vehicle count is expected to rise by 22 per cent during peak hours.

Similarly, the group claims that traffic on the A4055 between Biglis and Gladstone roundabouts is expected to rise by 20 per cent to a rate of 2,500 vehicles an hour.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is set to hold a public consultation on the second stage of the bypass plans in May.

Last March the Vale Council decided to halt work on an alternative bypass route preferred by the Barry to Cardiff Link Road Group.

They argue that the alternative ‘blue route’ could relieve traffic throughout the Vale corridor by extending to the Fford Y Milenium road in Barry.

Rod Harrod, chairman of the Barry to Cardiff Link Road Group, said: “The Vale Cabinet was recommended to halt work on the benefits of an alternative by-pass option.

“This left a by-pass around Dinas Powys which would not prevent future gridlock from Biglis roundabout to the Gladstone tunnel roundabout in South Barry.

“Options should be considered in the context of the whole Barry to Cardiff corridor.

“Otherwise, when any application for funding is put forward to the Welsh Government, the inability of the short by-pass option to provide a whole corridor solution may be used as an excuse to throw out any by-pass.”

The current option, preferred by the council’s consultant, Arcadis, would bypass only Dinas Powys by starting at the Merrie Harrier junction in Llandough and extending to Biglis roundabout.

Emma Reed, Vale of Glamorgan council head of neighbourhood transport and services, said: “The decision not to progress further investigative work on the blue route for a Dinas Powys bypass was made because of time implications, finance and resources.

“This was one of the recommendations when the environment and regeneration scrutiny committee considered the matter in March 2019.

“After the council was unsuccessful in securing Welsh Government funding to complete the WelTAG stage-two process, the council has made more than £60,000 available to complete a study into potential transport improvements for Dinas Powys.

“After this work has been completed in the next couple of months cabinet will consider the best way forward.”