M4 Trial To Start Next Month

22 July 2014, 17:46 | Updated: 22 July 2014, 17:49

From next month we're not going to be able to use junction 41 of the M4 at peak times.

It's part of a Welsh Government trial to try and cut congestion around Port Talbot.

From August 4th the westbound sliproad will be closed at rush hour between 0700 and 0900 and 1600 and 1800.

Local businesses are concerned about the impact it could have.

Steve Redmore is the manager at the Aberavon Shopping Centre. He tells Heart: "Our main concern is that it's going to cut off the town. 

"It's all based around the PDR road - the peripheral distributor road which is a bypass, effectively - and with people being forced to use the PDR it literally is going to have people bypassing the town centre."

Transport charity Sustrans say it's an opportunity for the Welsh Government to look a number of different areas during the 6 month trial.

Policy Advisor Matt Helmsley said:  "This is an opportunity to assess the whole thing - what journeys are people making in this section of motorway that's making it congested?

"Are there local journeys that could be taken off the motorway quite sensibly? Are people travelling under 5 miles where if we built a cycle route that people could acutally start cycling instead?"

Campaigners say they'll continue to put pressure on the Welsh Government not to close the junction.