Winter has Wales in its icy grip, and the roads are feeling the freeze! If you're planning to drive, you need to read this first. Severe weather conditions, including snow, ice, and strong winds, are causing significant disruptions across the Welsh road network. Motorists are strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel, allow extra time for essential journeys, and check the latest road conditions before setting off. But here's where it gets tricky: not all roads are completely closed, but many are only just passable, and that's where things can get dangerous. And this is the part most people miss: even if a road is open, conditions can change rapidly, so staying informed is crucial.
Here’s the latest breakdown of affected routes, with a few surprises that might spark debate. Is it ever safe to drive on 'just passable' roads? Let’s dive in:
- A542 Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen, Denbighshire: Closed both ways due to snow between the B5103 Corwen turn-off and the A5104 Wrexham turn-off. No exceptions here—it’s a no-go zone.
- A40 at Whitland, Carmarthenshire: Just passable both ways due to snow between the B4328 Llanboidy Roundabout and the A477 St Clears Roundabout. Proceed with extreme caution.
- A477 at Red Roses, Carmarthenshire: Just passable both ways due to snow between the Red Roses turn-off and the A40 at St Clears. Slow and steady wins the race here.
- A494 at Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Denbighshire: Just passable both ways due to snow between Lon Y Mynydd and the A5119 Ruthin Road at Gwernymynydd roundabout. Keep an eye on local updates.
- A5 at Pentrefoelas, Conwy: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A543 at Pentrefoelas and the A483 at Halton Roundabout. Conditions are treacherous.
- A458 at Mallwyd, Gwynedd: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A470 at Mallwyd roundabout and Pen Y Ddol at Foel. Take it slow and stay alert.
- A470 at Llanelltyd, Gwynedd: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A496 Barmouth turn-off and the A4212 Bala turn-off at Trawsfynydd. Visibility may be poor.
- A55 Britannia Bridge, Anglesey to Gwynedd: Open both ways, but strong winds are affecting the route between Junction 9 on the A487 at Treborth and Junction 8 on the A5 at Llanfair PG. A 30mph speed limit is in place—no speeding allowed!
- A548 at Llanrwst, Conwy: Just passable both ways due to snow between the B5113 Pentrefoelas turn-off and the A544 at Llanfairtalhaiarn. Traffic sensors show vehicles are moving, but cautiously.
- A4086 at Pont Pen-y-Benglog, Gwynedd: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A498 and Nant Ffynnon at Nant Peris. Conditions are far from ideal.
- A4244 at Brynrefail, Gwynedd: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A4086 and the B4366 at Rhiwlas. Stay informed and prepared.
- B4582 at Nevern, Pembrokeshire: Closed both ways due to a landslip between the A487 and the Moylgrove turn-off. This one’s been shut since November 5—no quick fix here.
- A494 at Corwen, Denbighshire: Just passable both ways due to snow between the A5104 at Corwen and the B5105 towards Ruthin. Drive with care.
- A483 at Cynghordy, Carmarthenshire: Just passable both ways due to snow between Cynghordy and Victoria Road at Llanwrtyd Wells. Sensors indicate traffic is moving, but slowly.
- A5 at Grisiau-Cochion, Gwynedd: Just passable both ways due to snow between Braichmelyn and the A4086 Llanberis turn-off at Capel Curig. Conditions are challenging.
- Bettws Cedewain, Powys: Blocked both ways due to ice between the B4389 and Pen-Shwa Lane at Newtown. Avoid this area if possible.
- B4338 at Talgarreg, Ceredigion: Closed both ways due to snow between the B4459 at Talgarreg and the Cefn Hafod pub at Gorsgoch. No through traffic allowed.
- Rhyddwen Road, Craig-Cefn-Parc, Swansea: Closed both ways due to snow between Rhyddwen Place and Clydach Road. Stay clear until conditions improve.
Controversial question: Should 'just passable' roads be closed entirely during severe weather to prevent accidents? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Stay safe, stay informed, and remember—when in doubt, don’t go out!
