A COMMUNITY group dedicated to the alleviation of traffic congestion and air pollution in Chepstow will be meeting later this month.
Transition Chepstow, which has organised the meeting for January 16, is encouraging residents to attend to share their concerns.
Items that will be high on the agenda are proposals to improve road infrastructure around the High Beech roundabout in Chepstow town centre, and requirements to increase public transport from Chepstow to Bristol and Gloucestershire.
The group is also hoping to encourage more children to walk to school and more car shares for commuters.
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Transition Chepstow co-ordinator Tim Melville said: “This traffic issue has gone on for far too long and we need to do something about it swiftly. That is why we are committing to getting this done within 12 to 18 months and making a genuine difference for people in Chepstow.”
Mr Melville, 55, lives in Chepstow and is forced to contend with a two-hour round trip to Bristol most days.
(Hardwick Hill on the A48 has become a congestion hotspot during rush-hour in Chepstow)
“Infrastructure hasn’t changed in Chepstow since the 1980s,” he said. “We are sick and tired of politicians putting this issue off. Since the bridge tolls came down and the traffic increased, the town has realised it is unable to cope with the level of vehicles coming in and out."
The government has stalled for years on whether to provide funding for a Chepstow bypass, and Transition Chepstow believes that continued delays could mean complete grid-lock throughout the town.
Mr Melville, who sold his house on the A48 because of the impact excessive air pollution was having on his daughter’s asthma, added: “This has garnered massive interest in the area and further afield, which shows how much it means to people. I’d just like to see as many people at the meeting as possible to show politicians that we are ready to hold them to account.”
Hardwick Hill on the A48, a traffic hotspot during rush-hour, is still believed to be one of the most polluted areas in Britain after it exceeded air pollution limits set by the World Health Organisation in 2016.
The progress meeting, with political representatives expected to attend, will take place at Chepstow School’s arts hall at 7.30pm on Thursday January 16. For more information visit www.transitionchepstow.org.uk
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