A refurbished phone box has been unveiled at Crai as part of a community project celebrating the village while also highlighting concerns about traffic safety on the A4067.

David Chadwick MP officially opened the restored phone box on Saturday, August 15, cutting a ribbon at 11am in front of residents and community representatives.

Also attending were Powys County Councillors Edwin Roderick and Jackie Charlton, and Barbara Anglezarke of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.

The idea for the project came from villagers Lis and Marion Mary and was organised by Crai Gardening Club, with support from the Village Hall Committee and Crai Community Council.

The phone box was restored using a grant from the national park and repainted in its original BT colours.

The surrounding ground has been cleared and restored, with recycled planters fitted with water reservoirs to retain moisture. Home-grown plants and peat-free compost have been used wherever possible, with bark mulch added to reduce weeding.

The project has also created a raised bed containing vegetables, flowers and herbs to encourage biodiversity.

Gethin Jones built the raised bed and installed guttering to collect rainwater, while B Jenkins and Sons of Brecon provided the design and materials.

The Old School Nursery at Cwmtwrch Isaf designed the troughs, while flowers were supplied at cost. Hay and Brecon Farmers in Sennybridge donated compost, with additional compost provided by people in the village. Manure was donated by Bryn Belted Galloway at Nantmadog.

The plants for the raised bed were grown and donated by Crai Gardening Club.

The work has also extended to the village bus shelter, with residents hoping the improvements will discourage rubbish being dumped and the shelter being used as a urinal.

Organisers said the project was intended to show that Crai is a thriving community while raising awareness of the dangers posed by the A4067.

Residents have campaigned for a lower speed limit and other measures, including extending double lines to prevent dangerous overtaking.

They have been told the road will have a 50mph limit, with 20mph through the village, but say the changes were agreed more than two years ago and have still not been implemented.

Residents say several serious accidents have happened since, with vehicles travelling at speeds of up to 90mph.

The group has also raised concerns about the crossing used by young and elderly residents travelling to buses.

One attendee at the opening fell while crossing the road after tripping on a newly installed cat’s eye. They suffered facial injuries and required hospital treatment.

Residents now plan to ask for a formal pedestrian crossing.

Crai was the first community to submit an online petition with more than 500 signatures, allowing residents to make a direct presentation to the full Powys County Council.

The campaign also includes requests for double lines at Nantmadog, where livestock cross the road, and repairs to the crossing lights at Beiligwyn.

Organisers said the attendance of the MP and councillors was important because they had supported the community’s campaign for lower speeds and a safer road.