Abergavenny town councillors hope to deal a major blow to anti-social drivers plaguing the town, after revealing they have secured funding to shut off a trouble hotspot. ??Announcing the move at a town council meeting last week, councillors confirmed money is now available to lock the Fairfield car park at night, closing an area popular with nuisance drivers.

The ongoing issue, marked by young drivers performing dangerous spectacles and racing at high-speed around neighbouring streets, has plagued councillors and local police for the last few years.

Central to quelling the long-running issue is a steel barrier installed back in 2016. County councillors Thomas and Groucutt confirmed during the meeting of Abergavenny Town Council last Wednesday that Monmouthshire County Council had agreed to pay a gatekeeper to secure the car park.

A council employee will unlock the gate at 6am, whilst a caretaker will lock up the steel barrier at 10pm, forcing any drivers present to leave the car park.

Confirming the details, Councillor Tudor Thomas, of Priory Ward, said, “This has been an ongoing issue for some years. The barrier was erected some time ago, but as far as I know, no arrangements were made to lock and unlock it.

“I have ongoing complaints about ongoing anti-social driving in the car park, especially after 10pm and carrying on into the early hours of the morning. This causes a great deal of stress and distress to local residents of all age.”

Scores of complaints from local residents point to nuisance drivers performing ‘spectacles’, racing around local streets, and verbally abusing anyone who attempts to reprimand them.

Councillor Thomas continued, “I have held discussions with Roger Hoggins at county council. He recently agreed to getting this barrier unlocked by an MCC road-sweeper driver at 6 am.

“The caretaker of The Melville Theatre will lock up at 10pm. I am very grateful to Councillor Penny Simcock for her support in finding someone to lock the barrier in the night.”

The issue recently culminated in over 100 local residents packing Melville Theatre alongside councillors, launching a campaign demanding county council close the car park at night, and implement a 20 mph speed limit along neighbouring streets.

Mayor Teslin Davies confirmed that MCC had promised to allocate funding, but concrete times and dates were not set.

“Monmouthshire County Council has promised to fund the cost of opening and locking the gates of Fairfield car park which will be a shared venture between MCC and Abergavenny. They have agreed to fund it for six months then review it to measure its success.

“At the moment, we are not entirely sure of the actual cost but it is thought that it will be in the region of £1500 per year.”

Campaigners are now working with Monmouthshire County Council to push for the second plank of their campaign— cutting the speed limit to 20 mph—after recent figures showed some drivers had hit speeds of 65 and 70 mph along Park Crescent.

?Police have, in the past, confiscated nuisance drivers’ cars, but the issue has continued unabated. ??Meanwhile, Councillor Martyn Groucutt said the campaign, which collected over 300 signatures, planned to press ahead with a 20 mph speed limit.

“Support for this move was like pushing an open door,” he said, referring to the high level of local support. “There have been similar moves in Bristol, and Oxford, where most residential streets are a maximum speed of 20.”

Cllr Groucutt added that he felt the support for a reduced limit also extended to council chambers, and that funding the measure was in a state of exploration between parties involved.