TEMPORARY Covid traffic measures introduced in Chepstow town centre should be scrapped, a senior councillor has said.

Monmouthshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed to extend traffic orders for up to a further 18 months, allowing current arrangements across the county’s town centres to stay in place as required.

But Cllr Paul Pavia (Welsh Con, Larkfield, Chepstow) pictured, told a meeting of the Cabinet last week it was time to get rid of the measures.

"I would like to see them repealed as soon as possible," said Cllr Pavia, the Cabinet member for education.

"I think that’s the right way to go. We need to go back to a status quo that allows traffic to flow through the High Street."

The council has said the measures remain trials and can be removed if "insurmountable problems arise".

The interim measures aimed at supporting town centres - which have included more pedestrianisation and outdoor trading space - have proven popular in Monmouth and Monmouth they claim, but traffic access issues have been reported in Chepstow.

Concerns have been raised about a part-time closure of the town’s High Street to traffic except to blue badge holders accessing disabled parking.

Cllr Jane Pratt (Welsh Con, Llanelly), who has responsibility for infrastructure and neighbourhood services, said she would be happy to meet with Cllr Pavia "at the earliest opportunity" to discuss the situation.

"These are temporary measures. They can be removed if insurmountable problems arise," she added.

The measures were not being made permanent, she said, but extending traffic orders provided the authority with the flexibility to do that, adding that the council wanted to "thoroughly test them" while longer-term solutions are drawn up.

She said the council would hold meetings to gather feedback on the measures in each area of the county.

"It’s very important we continue to support businesses and growth and resilience in our town centres," she added.

Cllr Bob Greenland (Welsh Con, Devauden), deputy leader and member for governance and strategic planning, said the longer-term aim was to make town centres "more pleasant places" where people would spend more time visiting, with a range of different attractions.

The Cabinet agreed to putting traffic measures in place to allow the trial measures to be tested for up to 18 months.

TEMPORARY Covid traffic measures introduced in Chepstow town centre should be scrapped, a senior councillor has said.

Monmouthshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed to extend traffic orders for up to a further 18 months, allowing current arrangements across the county’s town centres to stay in place as required.

But Cllr Paul Pavia (Con, Larkfield, Chepstow) , told a meeting of the Cabinet last week it was time to get rid of the measures.

"I would like to see them repealed as soon as possible," said Cllr Pavia, the Cabinet member for education.

"I think that’s the right way to go. We need to go back to a status quo that allows traffic to flow through the High Street."

The council has said the measures remain trials and can be removed if "insurmountable problems arise".

The interim measures aimed at supporting town centres - which have included more pedestrianisation and outdoor trading space - have proven popular in Monmouth and Monmouth they claim, but traffic access issues have been reported in Chepstow.

Concerns have been raised about a part-time closure of the town’s High Street to traffic except to blue badge holders accessing disabled parking.

Cllr Jane Pratt (Welsh Con, Llanelly), who has responsibility for infrastructure and neighbourhood services, said she would be happy to meet with Cllr Pavia "at the earliest opportunity" to discuss the situation.

"These are temporary measures. They can be removed if insurmountable problems arise," she added.

The measures were not being made permanent, she said, but extending traffic orders provided the authority with the flexibility to do that, adding that the council wanted to "thoroughly test them" while longer-term solutions are drawn up.

She said the council would hold meetings to gather feedback on the measures in each area of the county.

"It’s very important we continue to support businesses and growth and resilience in our town centres," she added.

Cllr Bob Greenland (Welsh Con, Devauden), deputy leader and member for governance and strategic planning, said the longer-term aim was to make town centres "more pleasant places" where people would spend more time visiting, with a range of different attractions.

The Cabinet agreed to putting traffic measures in place to allow the trial measures to be tested for up to 18 months.