Road closure ends - until summer (From Free Press Series)

Road closure ends - until summer

THE controversial closure of Cross Street, Abergavenny is to end next week - but it could close again in the summer.

This was the decision of cabinet members of Monmouthshire County Council following an unprecedented campaign by Cross Street traders who complained their trade had dropped by an average of 30 percent.

A special meeting is to be held by local councillors with two representatives from Chamber of Trade and town council to discuss whether to close the street in the summer months.

Cllr Giles Howard, the cabinet member for highway was bombarded with letters and phone calls from the traders over the last few months and he told the cabinet: "I don't know why the closure of such a small area of street should have had so much of an impact on trade, but I'm convinced that it has."

He recommended a compromise - open Cross Street and Market Street, but keep traffic out of High Street and Nevill Street between 11am and 4pm each day, and the cabinet unanimously agreed.

The closure order was implemented last December, following complaints from Abergavenny town councillors and local county councillors about the safety of pedestrians in the town centre, and reports of a number of minor accidents with children.

It was intended to begin in July and run for an experimental period, but this was delayed by the legal challenge of a couple of Cross Street traders.

Another cabinet member, Cllr Andre Arkell said he was saddened by the outcome of the project because it was done to ensure the safety of pedestrians because the street was very dangerous.

He added: "It will not be the fault of this council if there are fatalities in the future. I have lived here most of my life and there have been some fatalities in that street."

He added: "This is a very sad day for Abergavenny and I cannot accept all the things that have been said. I can't see how a trader 300 yards away says his trade is up 17 percent while others say theirs has dropped between 30 and 50 per cent."

One of the Cross Street campaigners, Ken Watkins of the King's Head Hotel said: "We are pleased with the outcome but do not think the street should be closed in the summer months, except for special occasions like the Food Festival."