A road linking two villages in Monmouthshire, Wales, has reopened after a devastating landslip in January 2026, but residents say they are still waiting for the "proper fix" they were promised and remain deeply unhappy with the temporary repairs. The road between Cwmyoy and Llanthony collapsed on January 30 when a riverbank gave way beneath the carriageway, leaving hundreds of residents with only one route in and out of the valley for four months.
Months of Isolation and Disruption
The closure forced lengthy diversions over the Gospel Pass, the highest road in Wales open to traffic, severely disrupting businesses, farming, school transport, and emergency services access. During this period, residents accused Monmouthshire County Council of poor communication, leaving the community feeling isolated and trapped. Michelle Turner, a Llanthony resident, said at the time: "As a community, we feel profoundly let down. We all pay council tax yet we have effectively been cut off with little warning, inadequate communication and no clear or safe plan to protect residents' welfare."
Road Reopens, but Relief Turns to Disappointment
The road finally reopened at the end of May 2026 after four months of closure. The council stated that essential measures were implemented to ensure the road was safe for residents and visitors. However, many residents say their relief quickly turned to disappointment upon seeing the quality of the repairs. One Llanthony resident told WalesOnline: "Everyone was very relieved when it was announced that they had finally opened the road. It was all exceedingly stressful. We were also shocked to see the job they had done after taking so long doing it."
Criticism centers on the redesigned section of road. Residents claim the council purchased a strip of land opposite the landslip but used only a small portion, resulting in two sharp bends through the repaired area. "The road has been open since the end of May, but everyone in the valley is proper disgusted at the job they have done," the resident added.
Further Works and Communication Concerns
Locals say they have been told the council intends to carry out additional "snagging" works, including removing a tree stump near one of the bends and inspecting other potential landslip sites, trees, drains, and culverts along the valley. However, these works will require another road closure, raising fresh concerns about further disruption. Residents understand that more work is necessary but remain anxious about the duration of future closures and whether the promised cleaning of drains and culverts will be completed to help prevent further slips.
Communication remains a major source of frustration. Residents say contact from the council largely stopped after the road reopened, and a promised public meeting took much longer than expected to materialize. They also question the value for money of the scheme, claiming a larger area of land was purchased than needed. Residents were told the additional land was acquired in case of further ground movement, although they believe that is unlikely on that stretch of the valley.
Compensation and Long-Term Measures
Some residents claim they were informed that compensation could be available for businesses and farmers who suffered financially during the closure. However, they told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they are unaware of anyone who has successfully received support. For many in the valley, the reopening marked the end of months of uncertainty, but confidence has yet to be restored. Residents are now looking to the council to complete the remaining work, improve communication, and deliver longer-term measures to reduce the risk of future landslips.
A Monmouthshire County Council spokesperson said: "The works completed to date were the essential measures required to safely re-open the road for residents and restore access to the local community. Further phases of work will be required and will be carefully planned and scheduled in due course. We are mindful of the importance of the summer season for local businesses and the wider community, and we want to ensure residents and visitors can benefit from the peak tourist period without further unnecessary disruption. We will continue to engage and keep the community informed as plans for the next stages of work are developed."
