VILLAGERS living near Abergavenny who claim their claim their lives are being blighted by road noise have issued renewed calls for the A40 to be resurfaced.

People living in The Bryn say the concrete surface of the busy trunk road between Abergavenny and Raglan creates a constant horrendous noise.

Andrew Sheasby, who has lived on Bryncelyn Close for 12 years, is among the residents calling for the surface to be replaced with a quiet coating called whisper asphalt..

He said: “The noise is horrendous. It is only going to get worse once the Heads of the Valleys Road is finished and the traffic increases.”

“It is continuous and even worse in the summer if you want to sleep with your window open.”

Mr Sheasby said residents, together with Llanover Community Council, Monmouth MP David Davies and AM Nick Ramsay have been campaigning for eight years and were led to understand that resurfacing of the A40 would take place subject to budget availability.

However, the Welsh Government has since told them it only intends to install noise fencing on or within the highway boundary.

Mr Sheasby, 68 said: “A short fence would be ineffective, a waste of money and only help a few residents.”

Mr Ramsay described the proposal as less than adequate.

He said: “The erection of noise fencing or some form of sound barrier is totally wrong for the location in question and won’t protect all properties.”

“Modern tarmac is clearly the long-term answer, although I appreciate this would require reconstruction of the entire carriageway and road drainage.”

“The A40 is at the end of the life specified when it was built in 1981. I will therefore be pressing Transport Minister Edwina Hart for a timescale of its replacement.”

Mr Davies added: “If the Welsh Government does proceed with fencing, I’m concerned that the main problem may be forgotten.

“I would certainly be interested to know how much whisper concrete costs per mile, as I’m not entirely convinced by the financial arguments being used by the Transport Minister to avoid resurfacing work.”

Mr Sheasby said the issue is not just confined to The Bryn and is keen for people who are affected and living along the A40 to contact Mr Davies or Mr Ramsay.

Christian Brown OBE, Chairman of Llanover Community Council said: "It's an absolutely disgrace as we had a clear commitment from the assembly for new road surface not a new hedge."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The resurfacing of the A40 at The Bryn is being considered for funding during the 2016/17 noise reduction programme and a decision will be made later this month.”