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North Wales Live
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
A55 drivers clocked speeding up to 120mph near retail park
An A55 driver was clocked at an eye-watering 120mph in Flintshire yesterday (Tuesday, July 29). The motorist was caught speeding near Broughton Shopping Park during evening rush hour. North Wales Police (NWP) officers were left stunned when a second driver was also recorded speeding at 92mph on the same stretch of road. This was also during rush hour when traffic levels are typically at their highest. The NWP Roads Policing Unit said excessive speeds like these were 'unacceptable'. The 120mph driver is now likely to face disqualification, with police officers describing the speed camera read-out as 'staggering'. Traffic police have pledged to crack down on drivers using the A55 as a 'racetrack'. One of the highest speeds ever recorded on the dual-carriageway was 137mph back in 2015, with motorists reaching 132mph in 2017 and 130mph in 2014. The speed limit is mostly 70mph with slower sections in places like Colwyn Bay, Holyhead and Penmaenbach headland. In November 2000, a driver was clocked at 127mph near Abergele, Conwy. A year earlier, a Manchester man was stopped by police after driving at speeds up to 120mph in the Conwy Tunnel. More recently, speeds up to 122mph have been recorded on the downhill westbound stretch at Rhuallt Hill. When a Ferrari was clocked speeding at 124mph near Bangor, Gwynedd, in July 2022, unimpressed police officers said: 'We know it was the F1 British Grand Prix last weekend but the A55 isn't a racetrack.' Amongst the fastest speed recorded on the A55 on Anglesey in recent years was 113mph near junction four (Dalar Hir Interchange) in November 11, 2023. Speeding is one of the 'Fatal 5' offences targeted by the NWP Roads Policing Unit in North Wales – the others being drink or drug driving; using a mobile phone while driving; not wearing a seatbelt; and careless or dangerous driving. Referring to yesterday's Broughton offences, a spokesperson said: 'These speeds at a busy rush hour are not acceptable. 'Both drivers have been issued with a traffic offence report – the later at 120mph more than likely facing a disqualification. We will continue to enforce such matters.'
North Wales Live
01-07-2025
- North Wales Live
Cyclist suffers 'serious injuries' crash with car
A police appeal has been launched after a cyclist suffered "serious injuries" after a crash with a car. It happened on Friday, near the train station in Deganwy. A North Wales Police statement said: "We are appealing for witnesses after a pedal cyclist was injured following a road traffic collision in Deganwy on Friday afternoon (27th June). "Shortly after 2pm officers were called to a collision that happened involving a pedal cycle and a silver-coloured Vauxhall Antara opposite the train station on the A546, Station Road. The pedal cyclist was taken to hospital with serious injuries. "Anybody who may have witnessed the collision, or the events leading up to the collision is asked to contact HGC Uned Plismona'r Ffyrdd / NWP Roads Policing Unit via the website or by calling 101, quoting reference number 25000527977."
Wales Online
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Wales Online
Police marksmen were on standby but farmers battled to save cattle after 'terrible' crash
Police marksmen were on standby but farmers battled to save cattle after 'terrible' crash The driver and his cattle are all lucky to be alive after the trailer tipped over on the A55 The crash site scene shows the scale of the operation to clear the road (Image: Gareth Wyn Jones ) Police marksmen were placed on alert after a cattle trailer tipped over on the A55, causing chaos on the major route on Monday, May 12. A vet and local farmers were called to the scene to help with the recovery after the overturned vehicle closed the eastbound side of the carriageway for around four hours. The police armed response unit was on standby in case the cattle got loose. The driver - an Anglesey farmer - managed to walk away from the crash with minor injuries and the cattle were rescued by fellow farmers. The farmer's journey to the Mold livestock market came to an abrupt halt when his Toyota Hilux pick-up flipped between junctions 22-23 at Old Colwyn. Both lanes were blocked after the farmer's car and trailer overturned. A vet hurried to the crash site, while a traffic officer is believed to have driven to St Asaph livestock market in search of aid, sparking numerous calls to local farmers. Elwyn Evans from Anglesey and Bangor's Michael Jones were the first to answer the call, reports North Wales Live. The trailer's roof had partly caved in. Incredibly, the cattle escaped serious injury (Image: NWP Roads Policing Unit ) Attaching Michael's trailer to Elwyn's vehicle, they were taken aback when they got to the scene. "We were sent a photo of the crash site and it looked terrible," said Michael. Article continues below "When we got there, we couldn't believe it. "Fair play, the police gave us an escort from Conwy. People waiting in the queues thought we were being cheeky and many weren't happy - they were beeping their horns and trying to block us. "Arriving at the scene, we found the farmer was shaken but otherwise unharmed. However he was clearly in shock, being flustered and not knowing exactly where he was. "He said he'd felt the trailer wobble, like the cattle were shifting around, and all of sudden the trailer was at the side of him, having jack-knifed around. "It was unbelievable that he managed to walk away from that crash. He was seriously lucky to be alive, someone must have been looking down on him from on high. The livestock trailer was left lying on its side after hitting crash barriers (Image: Michael Jones ) "Afterwards he was going around shaking everyone's hands as if he couldn't believe how lucky he'd been." The trailer had crashed through a barrier and its roof was caved in. By the time the two livestock specialists arrived, the three beef cattle – two bulls and a heifer – had managed to get back on their feet, still inside the damaged trailer. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Six additional farmers then arrived with two more trailers and together, they arranged the three empty trailers into a square around the damaged one, effectively boxing in the three cattle. "The vet was really good, she told the police to let us handle it because, as farmers, this is part of our daily routine," Michael said. "The police armed response unit was on standby in case the cattle got loose. It could have been extremely dangerous – they were concerned about stressed cows running onto the road amidst traffic and potentially reaching the centre of Colwyn Bay." The transfer operation went smoothly. Elwyn secured the damaged trailer and gave its owner a lift back to Anglesey, dropping off Michael en route. The three cows, although shaken, were reported to be in good health. "The vehicle was pretty wrecked but it could have been much worse, he was fortunate to survive," Elwyn commented. The incident resulted in the eastbound A55 being blocked for four hours, leading to delays exceeding an hour. Motorists were advised to divert via the A547 Abergele Road to Llanddulas didn't fare much better, with the ensuing congestion adding 45 minutes to travel times. North Wales Police (NWP) were notified of the incident at 9.21am and the road was reopened shortly after 1pm. On-site, the NWP Roads Policing Unit stated that it collaborated with the police Armed Alliance and Drone Unit. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Traffic Wales officers, and Hough Green Recovery also responded to the scene. A spokesperson for the police force confirmed that a local vet was called to "ensure the safety of the animals remained paramount". They said: "This meant that the carriageway had to be closed whilst the trailer was manoeuvred and the animals transferred safely to another trailer. Article continues below "We understand that this would have caused disruption to the surrounding area and delays for members of the public, but this was sadly unavoidable. Thankfully the driver of the Hilux suffered only minor injuries. All animals were assessed at the scene and no major concerns highlighted." Expressing gratitude towards the local farming community, the police acknowledged that the road closure duration was significantly reduced due to their assistance. "We appreciate this caused major delays but we thank the local and farming community so that we could open the road as soon as we could.
Wales Online
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Wales Online
Police marksmen on standby but farmers save the day to help clear 'terrible' A55 crash site
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Police marksmen were put on standby when a cattle trailer overturned on the A55 this morning (Monday, May 12). The crash blocked the eastbound carriageway in Conwy for four hours and caused massive traffic congestion in both directions. Drivers were warned to avoid the area and those caught up in the chaos were diverted through Colwyn Bay, causing major snarl-ups in the town. At the centre of it all was an Anglesey farmer and his three cattle who somehow walked away from the crash relatively unscathed. He was en route to Mold livestock market when his Toyota Hilux pick-up overturned between junctions 22-23 at Old Colwyn. With his trailer also on its side, the accident site blocked both lanes. The emergency services were soon on the scene and they began enlisting specialist help to deal with the potential prospect of injured and distressed cattle. A vet was called to the scene and a traffic officer reportedly drove to St Asaph livestock market to ask for help, prompting a series of phone calls to local farmers. First to respond were Anglesey's Elwyn Evans and Michael Jones from Bangor. After hitching up Michael's trailer to Elwyn's pick-up, they were astonished by what they found. 'We were sent a photo of the crash site and it looked terrible,' said Michael. 'When we got there, we couldn't believe it. 'Fair play, the police gave us an escort from Conwy. People waiting in the queues thought we were being cheeky and many weren't happy - they were beeping their horns and trying to block us. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now 'Arriving at the scene, we found the farmer was shaken but otherwise unharmed. However he was clearly in shock, being flustered and not knowing exactly where he was. He said he'd felt the trailer wobble, like the cattle were shifting around, and all of sudden the trailer was at the side of him, having jack-knifed around." (Image: Gareth Wyn Jones) Michael continued: 'It was unbelievable that he managed to walk away from that crash. He was seriously lucky to be alive, someone must have been looking down on him from on high. "Afterwards he was going around shaking everyone's hands as if he couldn't believe how lucky he'd been.' 'They dropped everything to help' The trailer had smashed through a crash barrier and its roof had caved in. By the time the two livestock specialists arrived, the three beef cattle – two bulls and a heifer – had righted themselves and were back on their feet, still inside the trailer. As the pair deliberated how to transfer the cattle on a busy dual-carriageway, six more farmers arrived with two more trailers. Between them, they formed three empty trailers into a square around the stricken trailer to box in the three cattle. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox (Image: NWP Roads Policing Unit) Meanwhile, westbound A55 traffic was held at Rainbow bridge for almost 30 minutes, leading to more delays. 'The vet was really good, she told the police to allow us to get on with it because, as farmers, it's something we do every day,' said Michael. 'The police armed response unit was on standby in case the cattle escaped. It could have been very dangerous – they were worried about stressed cows running on the road amongst traffic and even getting into the centre of Colwyn Bay.' The transfer went without a hitch. Elwyn strapped up the stricken trailer and gave its owner a lift home to Anglesey, dropping off Michael on the way. The three cows, though shaken up, were reported to be in good condition. 'The vehicle was pretty smashed up but it could have been a lot worse, he was lucky to be alive," Elwyn said. The incident blocked the eastbound A55 for four hours, causing delays of more than an hour. Drivers asked to divert on the A547 Abergele Road to Llanddulas fared little better, the resulting congestion adding 45 minutes to journeys. (Image: Michael Jones) North Wales Police (NWP) were alerted to the incident at 9.21am and the road was reopened shortly after 1pm. At the scene, the NWP Roads Policing Unit said it worked with the police Armed Alliance and Drone Unit. Also responding were North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Traffic Wales officers and Hough Green Recovery. A spokesperson for the unit said a local vet was also summoned to 'ensure the safety of the animals remained paramount'. They added: 'This meant that the carriageway had to be closed whilst the trailer was manoeuvred and the animals transferred safely to another trailer. 'We understand that this would have caused disruption to the surrounding area and delays for members of the public, but this was sadly unavoidable. Thankfully the driver of the Hilux suffered only minor injuries. All animals were assessed at the scene and no major concerns highlighted.' Thanking the local farming commnity, the police said the carriageway would have been closed for 'a lot longer' without their help. 'We appreciate this caused major delays but we thank the local and farming community so that we could open the road as soon as we could,' said the force. 'This is why some members of the public, who were stuck in the backlog, and those who were checking social media, may have seen officers escorting the farmers through the traffic to the collision scene." Michael said the incident showed how farmers were always quick to help out. 'At a time when few people won't do anything for nothing, eight farmers dropped everything to help,' he said. 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Wales Online
22-04-2025
- Wales Online
Family of dad-of-three found dead on A55 tell of 'utter devastation'
Family of dad-of-three found dead on A55 tell of 'utter devastation' 'Words cannot describe how devastated we are, and your family and friends will miss you dearly', said a statement released following the death of David Emrys "Junior" Williams David Williams (Image: Family/ NWP Roads Policing Unit ) The family of a father-of-three killed on the A55 have described their utter devastation at his loss. David Emrys "Junior" Williams died following a collision which took place on the A55 at Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire. A lorry driver was arrested after the body of a male pedestrian was found near Kinmel Park Services last week. An investigation to establish the cause of the collision, on the westbound carriageway, is underway. The 62-year-old man arrested has since been released whilst inquiries are ongoing. Police have now renewed an appeal for dashcam footage of the incident. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Meanwhile, David's family have paid tribute to the 35-year-old, who came from the Llandudno Junction area of Conwy county. They said: "David was the beloved son of Sharon and David, brother to Gemma and James, beloved father to Harry, Henry and Hayden and former partner of Jenny. Article continues below "Words cannot describe how devastated we are, and your family and friends will miss you dearly." North Wales Police (NWP) is continuing to appeal for witnesses to the collision, which happened during the early hours of Tuesday, April 15. David was found dead at around 8.15am, North Wales Live reports. Officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone travelling in the area between 4.50am and 5.10am. A spokesperson for the NWP Roads Policing Unit issued a statement calling on people to come forward. "Anybody with information regarding the collision, or anybody who was travelling along the A55 between 4.50am and 5.10am on the westbound carriageway between St Asaph and Abergele and who has dash cam footage, is asked to contact us." The road was closed for around eight hours after the incident. Police have asked people not to speculate online about the incident as this may risk prejudicing potential court proceedings. Information can be reported to the force via its live webchat service or by calling 101, quoting reference number 25000307865. Article continues below
