I took the opportunity at the weekend of viewing Monmouthshire County Council’s impressive Monnow Street project proposals which are clearly creating much interest, judging from the number of people viewing the exhibition.

The plans, including all the new trees, looked very nice, but at the end of the day there would only be 28 short stay parking spaces and room reserved for delivery vehicles up and down the street.

But I believe the continued vibrance and commercial future of Monnow Street depends entirely on as many visitors / shoppers as possible supporting all the local traders by popping into their shops.

Before Covid and all the temporary works done in Monnow Street to enable social distancing, there was room in the street for FORTY cars not just twenty-eight!!

So, as this scheme is going to cost in the region of £4 million at a time when all local authority finances are in a challenging position, why not simply put the street back to how it was pre Covid and make room for those forty cars?

And if after two years Monnow Street is thriving and the worrying number of empty shops has reduced, then I am sure a more worthwhile way of spending that circa £4 million could be found.

The vibrance of the street depends on its traders and as their swinging rates burden is not going to be lifted any time soon, parking spaces should take priority over trees, in my view.

Nigel Heath

Monmouthshire