CALDICOT councillors have raised concerns on the implementation of the permit scheme in the town's pedestrian zone.

We have previously reported on vehicles driving illegally on Newport Road which is the main shopping area in the town and is a pedestrianised zone.

A permit scheme went live in December to allow access for delivery vehicles for businesses in the pedestrian zone before 10.30am and after 4pm.

But at a recent Caldicot Town Council meeting, councillors decided to write to both Gwent Police and Monmouthshire County Council to raise their concerns over the implementation of the scheme.

Cllr Alan Davies, mayor of Caldicot, said:"The permit system is not enough - there needs to be a barrier, in my opinion that's the only way we will stop it."

Cllr Tony Easson, member for Dewstow, told us he had concerns with the scheme.

He said: "The concern is that the police are not able to police it due to numbers - they can't be there all the time. There is some concerns that the signage is not correct.

"There is CCTV which can be used but it is on a rotational basis.”

He added: “The real answer would be a keyed entry with raised bollards but that is quite costly which the county council are not in a position to pay for.”

The nine businesses which applied to the scheme have been granted permits. Businesses had voiced their concerns about access for their deliveries vehicles as seven businesses do not have rear access to their premises.

Calls for action came after a woman with a pushchair carrying a 20-month-old baby was involved in a road collision with a van in August outside Wye Valley Studios on Newport Road.

Haulwen Smith, 52, owner of Clean and Fresh dry cleaners on Newport Road, said: "I can't see any difference to be honest. It's still a problem with people driving up here on market days to collect their vegetables and unload.

"It's the same with the bikes, people aren't supposed to ride through the pedestrian zone but they do."

A Monmouthshire council spokesman said they had not received any complaints. PC Linda Symes from Caldicot said there had not been any incidents reported since September 19.

She said: "Community support officers regularly patrol the town centre area and the ward officer hasn’t needed to issue any fines or prosecutions for offences since the permit scheme was initiated and no complaints have been made to officers about permits during this time."