OPPOSITION councillor have been accused of illegally “encouraging” drivers to use a shortcut that has been closed to vehicles.
The accusation was made by the council cabinet member responsible for highways when she was asked about the restriction introduced in October to protect pedestrians using a narrow town centre lane.
Councillor Catrin Maby said drivers have still been using the part of Goldwire Lane in Monmouth that is closed to traffic and said she’d had reports of pedestrians being intimidated since the prohibition order was introduced on October 25, after being delayed while Welsh Water carried out works.
The Labour member told Monmouthshire County Council’s full council meeting: “We have seen some drivers ignoring this and continuing to use the lane, some of them at speed. I’m very concerned by continuing to speak against it councillors opposite may actually be encouraging drivers to continue to use the lane, this is against the law and it’s presenting a real danger to vulnerable people, and for what? To save motorists a couple of minutes. People can die or suffer serious injury because of dangerous driving or ignoring basic road safety rules.”
Newly elected Conservative councillor for Monmouth’s Town ward, Martin Newell, then asked Cllr Maby when “will she abandon plans to partially close Goldwire Lane”.
Cllr Maby, who represents the nearby Drybridge ward, said she had answered that question, in response to Overmonnow Labour councillor Steven Garratt who’d asked for an update on the temporary vehicle ban that is being trialed for six months before a review.
Cllr Newell said a local resident, Justine Johnson, had collected two petitions with 350 signatures opposing the closure of the lane.
He asked: “When will common sense be used and the road turned into a shared route? There is plenty of room for cars and pedestrians. When will residents be spoken to and consulted?”
In response Cllr Maby said there had been several examples of near misses on the lane and requests for action and said: “It is now illegal for cars to be driving down that shortcut down Goldwire Lane, and if you encourage them to do so you will be breaking the law as well.
“I do believe some councillors, opposite, actually stood and protested against this, which would be encouraging people to break the law. I have reached out to the police for help in terms of enforcing this shortcut for the sake of those vulnerable residents who are being frightened and bullied by drivers who have a perfectly adequate, alternative access.”
Cllr Newell had said the restriction “encouraged” residents to break the law as he said they had no other access when flooding hit Wonastow Road in November.
Drivers wanting to exit Goldwire Lane on to Wonastow Road now have to use Somerset Road rather than the narrow junction beside the Green Dragon pub and another building.
