THE long-awaited work to resurface Monnow Street is underway this week.

The work commenced Monday night outside Handyman House and will progress towards the junction of St John Street, ending there on Saturday night.

The next stage of work will commence in February and residents will be able to see the materials that will form the third stage of the work; the public realm space in Agincourt Square and Priory Street.

Roger Hoggins, Head of Operations for Monmouthshire County Council briefed town councillors on the schedule of works for the new look on Monday night, 1st October. and said there hadbeen a lot of positive feedback from the public realm meetings he had been to.

“We shall be using a Marshall’s sandstone product, ‘Scoutmoor’ at the pinch point and this will be continued on into the square for the pavement area in the planned third stage. The roadway will be formed from a resin bonded finish instead of tarmac, similar to the surface that can be seen at Chepstow in the public realm space.”

Funding for the Monnow Street and St John Street works is already in place, but as yet, the money for the third stage is not.

The council will be looking to fund the third stage either with a grant from the Welsh Government, or to borrow the money.

“Although the third lane on the A40 qualified for 90 percent funding from the Welsh Government, the work in Agincourt Square does not fit in well with government grant funding” explained Mr Hoggins.

“The second stage, which will include the pinch point and St John Street will begin early next year and the third stage will follow on in 2020.”

The plans for Agincourt Square will see the road section narrowed and have a low boundary with the footpath area, the idea being the pedestrian will own the area more than the car. The area will see parking, loading and drop off bays as the council are aware that businesses in the square will need these to trade. The pinch point will see bollards placed there to avoid vehicles parking there.

“Enforcement of static vehicles will be handled by MCC from next April with civil parking enforcement officers monitoring the parking on-street. Moving traffic violations will still be handled by the police” he added.

The cobbles outside the Shire Hall will remain.