NEARLY 600 people are calling on Monmouthshire council to introduce a 50 mph speed limit on what they say is a dangerous road.

Monmouthshire councillor Sara Jones, member for Llanover, presented the council’s chairman, Cllr David Dovey, with a 573-signature petition for a reduced speed limit to be introduced on the Old Raglan Road, between the Hardwick roundabout at Abergavenny and Raglan (the B4598) which has a current speed limit of 60 mph.

Cllr Jones said speed, noise and dangerous driving are a major problem on the road and is also calling for the appropriate reduction through the villages of the villages of Llanvair Kilgeddin, Llanvihangel Gobion and Penpergwm. She said: “This is the road that saw the highest ever reading of 156mph.”

“Local residents have been campaigning for a speed reduction for over 20 years. We need to act now,” she said.

Christian Brown, deputy chairman of Llanover community council, said the road was : “We have a major problem with road accidents on this road. It is one of the most dangerous in Wales.

He said Gwent Police recorded 17 road traffic collisions on the road between April 2005 and March 2011, two of which were fatal and six serious. and nine were classed as slight collisions.

He added: “It’s inevitable that there will be more deaths on that road. Ultimately if you want to cut deaths you’ve got to cut the speed limit.”