THERE is little prospect of air quality problems on Hardwick Hill in Chepstow being solved in the near future, it has been claimed.

The long-running issue was brought up at a meeting between Chepstow town councillors and Monmouthshire Council.

The amount of slow-moving traffic on the hill between the Moor Street junction and Bulwark corner means levels of potentially harmful chemicals in the atmosphere is higher than it should be

Town mayor Councillor Paul Rutter, whose St Mary's ward includes the affected area, said: "The Welsh Government has decided there is nothing that can be done at the moment.

"The current situation is in breach of the (EU) air quality directive.

"There has been an offer of a steering group to look at it but chance of anything positive happening in the near future are nil."

Peter Farley, who is the Monmouthshire county councillor for the area, said the Welsh Government – which is responsible for the A48 as it a trunk road – should have been represented at the meeting.

He said: "The main player is the Welsh Government and they should have been at the meeting and we should send a letter of complaint that this is not good enough."