Chepstow traffic and congestion public meeting wins high praise

More than 250 people attended the meeting, organised by environmental group Transition Chepstow, at the town's secondary school on Thursday, April 11.

Transition Chepstow co-ordinator Tim Melville said the aim was to stimulate debate, engage decision-makers, and generate momentum for urgent action.

And although most of the debate, over the years, has centred around the viability of a bypass, last week's meeting focused on more immediate, cheaper solutions to the town's traffic woes.

As reported previously, solutions proposed at the meeting included alterations to the busy High Beech roundabout, such as increasing the number of two-lane approaches and improving the road markings.

The approach to High Beech roundabout from the A466 northbound. Picture: Google

Other proposals included slip-roads onto the A466, car-share and walk-to-school schemes, eco-friendly cars, and improved public transport.

Following several in-depth presentations, attendees voted by a show of hands for a series of "swift resolutions" to the town's continuing problems with near gridlock during peak travel times.

Around 90 per cent of attendees, it was estimated, voted in favour of improving Chepstow's public transport.

Roughly 85 per cent were in favour of improving the road markings at High Beech roundabout, while 70 per cent said they wanted the roundabout to be redeveloped.

Half of all attendees, the organisers estimated, supported a diversion towards Caldicot at Hayesgate, and plans to increase active travel (walking and cycling) achieved a similar degree of support.

This week, county councillor Brian Jones congratulated Transition Chepstow on a "well-organised" meeting, adding: "All contributors had obviously researched deeply into the proposals presented and the studies of the High Beech roundabout in particular demonstrated an impressive level of detail."

Cllr Jones said local authority officers would examine the proposals with Welsh Government officers to assess whether they could be introduced.

(L-R): Monmouth MP David Davies, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, Transition Chepstow co-ordinator Tim Melville, Cllr David Dovey, and Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay. Picture: courtesy of David Davies MP

Nick Ramsay AM also thanked the organisers, but said Chepstow's congestion problems could not be viewed "in isolation from the issue of a bypass".

David Davies MP, also on the meeting's panel, said Transition Chepstow had found "simple solutions that could make a big difference" to local air pollution levels.

He added: "I still believe the long-term answer is a bypass. Traffic travelling from Gloucestershire towards the M48 and M4 should not be going through Chepstow.

"However, local residents should not have to wait years for action to be taken and we need solutions now.”