HIGHWAYS chiefs have warned that a dummy load designed to test the suitability of main roads for the movement of huge parts for wind farms could cause delays for drivers in Wrexham next month.

A vehicle specially designed to simulate one which can carry large components for the farms, such as the massive blades, will be driven along potentially difficult stretches of key routes in the country over the next six months.

The aim is to see whether they are eventually up to handling real consignments.

On a date in June yet to be confirmed the vehicle will make its way on a trial run from the Cheshire end of the A483 dual carriageway and around the outside of Wrexham.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has made an order under the Road Traffic Regulations to carry out the trials at ‘pinch points’ on around a dozen main roads across the country.

Among the routes covered by the order are the A483 Swansea-Manchester trunk road, from its junction with the A539 near Ruabon to the A5/A483 Halton roundabout and the A5 London-Holyhead trunk road from a point 100 metres west of Halton roundabout to the Shropshire border.

The order, which is expected to last for a maximum of six months, will prevent all traffic entering the pinch points while the dummy load passes through.

Short traffic bans lasting a maximum of 10 minutes will be applied outside peak hours between 9.30am and 5.30pm.

The first trial will be on the main roads in Mid-Wales on Tuesday.

A WAG spokesman said: “The trial vehicle is due to leave Newport after the morning peak and arrive at its destination in Mid-Wales by early afternoon.

“The vehicle will have a police escort and will be ‘collapsed’ to the size of a standard HGV for its return journey.

“The trial vehicle is light and can move reasonably swiftly particularly on the parts of the route where it travels on the M4 and A470 and should not inconvenience other traffic.

“It is anticipated that any delays to the travelling public will be kept to a minimum and are unlikely to exceed 10 minutes.

“There will be a further trial in June – we haven’t got an exact date yet – which will start from Ellesmere Port and go along the A483 dual carriageway around the outside of Wrexham, again outside peak travel.”

Details of the roads affected will be available on www.traffic-wales.com.