SIR,

We are writing this letter in conjunction with a signed petition from the residents of Somerset Road and Goldwire Lane Monmouth re the problem we have here with parking.

Goldwire Lane and Somerset Road are now being used on a daily basis as a free parking area.

We have a lay-by in Somerset Road which we understood when we moved to this area many years ago was to help with off-road parking for visitors to the properties on the right of Somerset Road as the flats to the left already have two car parking areas.

Needless to say, when anyone now has visitors they are forced to park outside the properties on the road as the lay-by is now regularly filled by 8.30am every single working day by bank and building society workers who do not wish to pay parking fees.

Once the lay-by is full the people proceed to park along Somerset Road and Goldwire Lane all day and go to work.

Added to this, on very busy days at Bridges Community Centre in Drybridge Park when their car park is full, we have extra cars parked on either side of Somerset Road.

This now makes it very difficult for the mobile library van to get along Somerset Road and even to negotiate getting into Abbeyfield House.

Also, the bus that collects and returns the elderly and disabled has a job to come along Somerset Road and was last week seen to negotiate the bus over the grass behind the lamppost as this was the only way to get to Abbeyfield House.

From a safety point of view, if a fire engine or ambulance were needed at Abbeyfield or Homeforge House on a day when all the extra vehicles park on either side of the road there would be no room to proceed along Somerset Road. This is a point made to us by fire officers.

You must understand that this could literally put lives at risk, especially as many of the residents in this area are elderly.

We hope, in conjunction with the signatures, the above is taken into view and hopefully some action can be taken to either prohibit parking at certain hours and/ or install double yellow lines along some parts of the road.

We are fed up with having other people's cars outside our homes all day just so that the drivers can avoid paying car parking fees.

Residents of Somerset Road

and Goldwire Lane