A SENIOR Monmouthshire County councillor has hit back at suggestions that the council has failed to respond quickly enough to the problems caused by traffic lights in Abergavenny’s Monk Street.

Councillor Bob Greenland told the Chronicle that despite the fact that Monk Street is a trunk road and does not fall within the remit of MCC, he has been working for almost a year to have the road re-opened fully and had originally hoped the scaffolding would be removed ahead of last year’s Abergavenny Food Festival.

“For many months I too have observed the lack of action on the building works at Monk Street. MCC has no power to act in this matter as the road is a trunk road. It is the responsibility of Welsh Government and their agency South Wales Trunk Road Agency to manage the licence for the scaffolding,” said Councillor Greenland.

“Nevertheless I asked MCC officers to take up concerns over the retention of the scaffolding, specifically mentioning the forthcoming Eisteddfod. This they have done on numerous occasions and received assurances that the situation was being managed.  

“Unfortunately last week Welsh Government, on the advice of a structural engineer, agreed that the scaffolding should not be removed. I might also add that Councillor John Prosser in stating that the scaffolding would be removed, did so on the expectation at the time, prior to the later advice from the Welsh Government.”

Councillor Greenland said he and other councillors would continue to put pressure on the Welsh Government to resolve the situation.