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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jonathon Hill & Kieren Williams

Neighbours have 19 cars written off because drivers 'fall asleep' and crash on busy road

A group of neighbours have claimed they have had 19 cars written off as drivers keep smashing into their parked vehicles.

Residents on Chepstow Road, in Newport, live in fear that they will lose another car to reckless drivers or even worse, someone will get caught in the next accident.

James Crowley and his family have had ten cars written off since they moved to the road and next door Andrew Griffiths and his family have lost seven cars in the past decade.

Another neighbour, Gerald Carter, 89, has had two cars written off in the last six years, one of which nearly ended up through the front of his house.

The aftermath of one of the crashes along Chepstow Road (Media Wales)
The aftermath of one of the car crashes that took place this Sunday (Media Wales)

One of the locals suggested drivers "falling asleep" was responsible for the high volume of crashes but they are now worried that the next crash won’t involve just a car but a person too.

Last Sunday evening, both James and Andrew saw their vehicles trashed yet again as they have renewed their calls for traffic measures.

They want the council to introduce efforts that will keep drivers alert when travelling down the busy road.

The Crowleys' car following the most recent smash on Sunday (Media Wales)

James, Andrew and Gerald said they’ve become frustrated at a lack of action over their appeals for help since the accidents began happening over ten years ago.

Speaking to WalesOnline, Andrew said: “We’ve been promised the world over a response to this and nothing ever seems to be done.

“I wonder whether it’s going to take a fatality before this is taken seriously.”

The three neighbours have been forced to fork out thousands of pounds over the years (Media Wales)

Father-of-two Andrew claims that motorists have “nodded off” after coming off the M4 at the Coldra junction before colliding with his cars.

He said: “They come off at the Coldra and seem to just lose concentration and fall asleep and bang. The accidents seem to happen at night or in the early hours of the morning.

"There is a slight bend at the pub up the road but other than that it’s a straight road.

“It’s unbelievable. We’ve lost seven cars in roughly the last ten years. We lose out every time, it always costs us more money. Our insurance goes up even though it’s a no fault claim.

The damage left over by the most recent collision (Media Wales)

“We’re working class families and have worked all our lives. We try to get the most suitable car for us at the price we can afford but every time it ends up costing us more money.

“We’re waiting now to see what they’re going to offer us for this one [the latest to be written off]. The majority of them we’ve ended up putting four or five grand extra down.

“We need to see some sort of traffic calming in between our houses and the Man of Gwent pub - whether that be rumble strips or a central reservation for example - something to alert the drivers.”

Residents have said they think the issues stem from drivers falling asleep on the road (Media Wales)

James said: “It appears they drive from the Coldra which is approximately a mile away. If there’s nothing at the Coldra then usually the first cars you’ll see parked on the side of the road are ours.

“More and more so I am worrying about someone being hit rather than a car. We’ve had all sorts but it’s mainly people who fall asleep at the wheel.

“We get no compensation whatsoever. My insurance has gone up and I’ve lost a lot of money.

"On average every time we get a new car we then lose around £3,000 every time there is an accident.”

Gerald said the road should be monitored more closely with traffic cameras.

“The last one that happened to me the car came through my garden wall, knocked the wall down and the car ended up in next to my front window,” he said.

He added: “They ought to put cameras on the road at the pub and one further up the road because it needs to be monitored and something needs to be done.

"Someone could be killed, and then there will be a hullabaloo. Well I’m going to make a hullabaloo now.”

Local councillors and MS John Griffiths are meeting with the residents affected by the crashes on Friday.

In 2020 Inspector Martin Cawley for Gwent Police said the force “is continuing to monitor the situation and will take steps to resolve any issues”.

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