A PETITION calling on councillors not to close a town centre road to through traffic has been handed over.
Monmouth's Goldwire Lane between Somerset Road and Drybridge Street has been earmarked for closure to vehicles except for residents and emergency services after a decision by ward county councillor Catrin Maby (Labour, Drybridge), which comes amid major pavement widening schemes on neighbouring roads promoting active travel cycling and walking.
A six-month consultation on the planned closure is currently under way.
But claiming that the views of many of those living nearby have not been taken into account, local resident Justine Johnson has now presented a 105-name petition to Monmouthshire Council's place and scrutiny committee calling for the road to stay open.
During the committee discussion, Wyesham Independent councillor Emma Bryn, a cyclist and road safety advocate, declared an interest, claiming she had been "hit by a vehicle trying to cross this very narrow alleyway,” although no details of the collision were given.
Ms Johnson in her letter to the council said she wasn’t aware of any incidents of people being injured there, and “bad driving can happen anywhere, not just Goldwire Lane”.
She said she had collected 105 signatures from the wider community “who do not want access restricted in any way”, including the owner of the Goldwire Lane shop, with only two people she contacted opposing that.
Referencing comments at a meeting of the full council in April, the letter said the cabinet member behind the decision to prevent through traffic onto Drybridge Street, Cllr Maby, had only seemed to have taken on board the views of residents living between Abbeyfield House and the Green Dragon pub.
She suggested the Goldwire Lane pavement could be slightly widened and still allow room for vehicles to pass safely, and said restricting access would impact drivers who live on other parts of the lane and neighbouring streets and how they access the main road.
"We feel that it is unacceptable to base the decision to move this consultation forward based solely on the views of the people who live on a small part of the lane," said Ms Johnson.
"We are a much bigger community that include, amongst others, the rest of Goldwire Lane, Walbronn Close, Clawdd Du, Capers Place, Somerset Road and Beech Close. We are 'all' the affected properties.
"We feel that we need to maintain another way out other than down Somerset Road and out onto the Wonastow Road."
The replacement of the Wonastow Road/Drybridge/Rockfield Road mini roundabout – put in to ease congestion 24 years ago – with a restored junction as part of the active travel scheme could become "very congested" again, she added.
"We are all concerned that if we cannot get out of here for whatever reason, our exit will be impeded... Currently we can use Goldwire Lane and this in turn reduces traffic on the Wonastow Road, but this could all change if the restriction is put in place."
Pedestrians can use the alternative pathway that runs by Capers Place and along the Riverside Hotel, she said, adding: "I am concerned that the Active Travel 'Further Recommendation' has been pushed forward without our community knowing much about it and without due consideration."
Only 204 people had responded to previous consultations, she said, which was "not truly representative of Monmouth's 11,000 population".
"Many of us have to commute to work out of town and cannot walk, cycle to get there. Some people have severe disabilities that live here needing constant support.
"We also have healthcare workers, carers in our community whose delayed travel could cause problems," she added.
"We also have poorly people in our community who need the care of carers, district nurses, occupational therapists and meals on wheels, not to mention prescriptions.
"It is unlikely these people would be able to cycle knowing the workload of some of these professions and businesses and loads they have to carry."
The committee said it would like a response from Cllr Maby and highways officers.