A section of the A40 in Carmarthenshire has too often been the scene of serious crashes and tragedy with one politician describing the road’s safety record as ‘deeply concerning’
The safety record of part of a main road in Wales which has seen hundreds of crashes already this decade has been described as “deeply concerning” amid calls for the Welsh Government to take action.
The A40 in its entirety stretches for around 260 miles between London and Goodwick in Pembrokeshire. A relatively small section of the carriageway, between Carmarthen and Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, has long been complained of as a crash hotspot. Almost a decade ago a local MP voiced his concerns in a letter to the Welsh Government outlining safety issues with a particular stretch through the village of Rhosmaen, north of Llandeilo.
This was before a 55-year-old woman died on the road in 2017 as a result of a crash between a car and a skip lorry. Stay informed on Carms news by signing up to our newsletter here.
More recently tragedy has struck again on the A40. In October 2024 two people died in the same motorbike crash on the A40 near Llandovery.
Less than a year later, in July 2025, 18-year-old Sally Allen was killed in a crash further west between Carmarthen and Llandeilo near the hamlet of Broad Oak while driving home from the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells.
Meanwhile, in August this year, a man was left with serious injuries following an early-morning collision on the A40 near Manordeilo.
The true extent of the road’s safety record can now be revealed after WalesOnline obtained data from Dyfed-Powys Police via a freedom of information request.
The stretch of road between Carmarthen and Llandovery measures 27 miles in length, connecting the two towns and providing links to Llandeilo and the villages of Manordeilo, Llangadog, Dryslwyn, Nantgaredig, Whitemill, and many others.
The national speed limit of 60mph for single carriageway roads in the UK applies to large sections of the road although some stretches are subject to lower speed limits.
According to the data supplied by Dyfed-Powys Police there were 249 collisions on the A40 between Carmarthen and Llandovery between January 2020 and the end of June this year (2025).
A breakdown of the number of crashes can be seen below:
- In 2020 there were 30 collisions
- In 2021 there were 40 collisions
- In 2022 there were 40 collisions
- In 2023 there were 58 collisions
- In 2024 there were 59 collisions
- In 2025 up to the end of June there have been 22 collisions
- Total: 249 collisions
While data since the end of June has not been published two crashes mentioned above which took place after that above means more than 250 collisions have occurred on the 27-mile stretch of road in less than five years. That’s roughly one a week this decade so far on a road that largely goes through rural areas.
When presented with the figures Adam Price, the Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, said: “The number of road traffic collisions along the A40 is deeply concerning and I would urge the Welsh Government to consider necessary measures to improve its safety.
“The tragic death on this stretch of road earlier this year demonstrates that this must be taken seriously and that action is needed.
“I would welcome a discussion with the cabinet secretary to discuss what options are available to address the safety concerns of drivers in my constituency.”
Ann Davies, the Member of Parliament for Caerfyrddin, said the crash figures relating to the A40 between Carmarthen and Llandovery are “alarming” and “stark”.
She said: “The figures reveal an alarming rise in road traffic collisions between 2020 and 2024 and the first six months of this year have already recorded a disturbingly high number of incidents.
“These statistics are stark but behind every number is a human story, families, and communities deeply affected by loss and injury. I am committed to working closely with those impacted, alongside the Welsh Government and our Senedd Members, to ensure that road safety is treated with the urgency it demands. Protecting lives must remain our top priority.”
In response the Welsh Government’s cabinet secretary for transport Ken Skates said: “We take road safety very seriously and routinely review personal injury collision data recorded by the police to inform improvements on the trunk road network including this section of the A40.
“We await details of the most recent collisions to inform our work.”
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