SIR,

Parking in Monmouth at busy times is totally inadequate. Also for the Sports Ground.

There is no provision for anyone arriving by coach to disembark, whether visiting town or Sports Ground.

Loss of parking spaces through proposals to widen pavements in Monnow Street, housing developments underway and planned will further exacerbate the situation.

My suggested solutions are as follows;

Turn the area used for Saturday markets into a coach park.

I can imagine the howls of protest, but read on. Town councillors have been considering a new roundabout on the A40 by the tunnels.

Were this to come to fruition, perhaps an access to the parcel of land bordered by Beech Road, the River Monnow and the railway embankment coud be provided.

I propose this area as a replacement for the current Sports Ground. It should not be beyond the bounds of possibility to allow this land to stay in existing ownership while providing a better income from leisure than from agriculture.

I envisage market traders usurped from their current position by parking being allowed to set stalls on the wider pedestrian areas of Monnow Street as suggested by John Morgan and Mary Portas.

The top of town could be improved by removing the railings from around the Shire Hall and lighting the arches at night

As most visitors arrive by car, the  Tourist Information Centre should be moved to the main car park.

Unfortunately, I have no solution to parking problems at the top of the town as the Haberdashers appear to have grabbed all the eligible land.

I know this is not going to happen in the near future, but there has been considerable change in nearly 60 years that I have lived in Monmouth. Perhaps in the next 60 years?

Terry Haile

(Monmouth)