MADAM,

I would agree with Jeana Hall (Wednesday 5th August, page 6) that people should be able to pass one another on the pavement at the pinch-point in Monnow Street without stepping into the road.

However she seems to be overlooking the fact that not all people are the same size.  Furthermore her statement does not take into account that some people are pushing buggies and others may be in wheelchairs or on scooters. I am concerned that a number of councillors and traders are not taking notice of the views of many Monmouth inhabitants who have been lobbying Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) for some considerable time to do something about widening the pavement for pedestrians at this point.

One must also remember that pedestrians also stop to look in shop windows but it seems the shops at the pinch-point are not sufficiently valued by those councillors opposing any pavement widening trials.

I am sure there are many people unaware that a film highlighting problems for pedestrians in the town was submitted to MCC some while ago. It caused great alarm to the employees at MCC when they saw the difficulties being experienced. Research was done by the county council and a trial plan drawn up with a view to alleviating the difficulties. We are told the delay in implementing the proposed trials is due to objections by traders. Are they trying to kill their own businesses I wonder?

Traders take note that we do not drive our cars into your shops. It is the pedestrians that are your customers.  If it becomes a stressful experience to shop in Monmouth, particularly at weekends, we can easily shop elsewhere particularly with the Grass Routes bus service. 

Pedestrians should be the first priority in a market town and as such the resolving of this problem by MCC is long overdue.

Angela Hoyle

(Monmouth)