I’VE been trying to get some more information about the proposal to build an ash recycling plant at the eastern end of Barry docks but my telephone message to the council remains unanswered. Recycling ash makes sense, and the much needed jobs to our town would be welcomed, but I have some concerns with the proposal.

Transporting thousands of tonnes of ash from Cardiff via the Dinas Powis route seems senseless when there is plenty of space at Cardiff dock near the incinerator plant to recycle the waste.

I’d like to know more about the ash dust that is likely to be blown by the wind but my big worry is the volume of large lorries shuttling along the A4055: I calculate about 16 each day, that’s 32 heavy lorry movements.

The aggregate and metal produced from the recycling will then have to be delivered over South Wales creating more lorry movements, I estimate roughly another 16 lorries making a total of about 64 traffic movements a day through congested roads and junctions. Of course, it will not happen like that, it is more likely that distributing the finished product will be less frequent and more concentrated.

These figures do not take into account the unknown additional traffic movements from the proposed wood fired renewable energy plant further along the dock.

Two reports which studied the consequences of house building on our roads say our main highway cannot cope. The Waterfront Transport Assessment, 2009, identified several junctions along this route which were forecast to exceed theoretical capacity within the next five years, with the Palmerston Road junction being already over capacity.

More recently a LDP Highway Impact Assessment, 2013, revealed that six junctions along the A4055; Ffordd y Mileniwm/Cardiff Road; Palmerston Road/Cardiff Road; the Biglis roundabout; Dinas Powis School junction; the Merry Harriers, and the Cogan Spur junctions would be over capacity in 10 years’ time.

Unsurprisingly, four of these junctions were found to be over capacity already. These studies are not exactly bedtime reading and I am no expert in these matters, but the public will need reassurance before planning permission is granted for the ash recycling plant at Wimbourne Road.

Dennis Harkus

FocusBARRY Member