Monmouthshire County Council this week confirmed that Abergavenny’s recent pedestrianised Frogmore Street could be opened up to traffic from 4pm to 10am.

After spending £700,000 on the redevelopment, MCC has now decided to allow cars to travel through the pedestrianised area, claiming that a consultation with local traders encouraged the move—subject to a trial period.

A council spokesman told the Chronicle that the was subject to a trial run, and an independent audit to monitor safety concerns.

Back in 2017, councillors mooted a ‘pedestrian-lite’ option, which would prohibit traffic between 10am and 4pm—an option the council has now seemingly taken.

The council spokesman said, “Monmouthshire County Council is considering re-opening Abergavenny’s Frogmore Street to traffic on a trial basis, subject to the outcome of a satisfactory safety audit.

“Following concerns from traders on Frogmore Street about the lack of passing trade, officers attending the most recent public realm meeting agreed to re-open the road between 4pm and 10am. This would be on a trial basis and subject to an independent safety audit.”

Lucy Hywel, a representative of Y-Fenni Business Community, said the group’s request, made at a recent public realm meeting, had been met by the council.

“We want to trial this after-hours,” said Ms Hywel, “as there has been a shortfall impacting on businesses toward the end of the street.

“We believe it needs to be trialled, to see whether the pedestrianisation is having an impact, or if it may be another factor,” she said. “We are pleased to hear that the council has listened to our request and decided to work with us.” ??Since 2017, workmen have transformed Frogmore Street, ripping up the old road and paving into a pedestrian walkway stretching from the corner near Wetherspoon and along Frogmore street.

?In a major redevelopment, council engineers, and contractors spent last summer steaming through the plans, with some £700,000 spent on the redevelopment.

That summer saw local traders ask the council to step up the redevelopment, as trade plummeted owing to heavy construction work on the road. The traders then said in unity that the work was necessary, and would eventually benefit them and the town.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the council highways team said, “We have listened to the concerns of traders about the impact of restricting Frogmore Street and, if it is safe to do so, agreed to re-open the road on a trial basis between 4pm and 10am.

“We will need to carry out a risk assessment before we initiate this measure to ensure the safety of pedestrians - they have become accustomed to this section being traffic-free and furthermore the road layout has been modified at the junction with High Street so we will need to examine this closely. 

“If the trial goes ahead, it will continue during the work on Phase 3 of the public realm which is due to start at the end of the month and will be reviewed after completion of the scheme later this year.”

Phase two of the scheme, carried out by local contractor Alun Griffiths, took around 26 weeks and followed a similar project in 2016 which revamped High Street, Nevill Street and St John’s Square.

The current estimated cost for the project is £700,000, which has been part-funded by the Morrison’s development which saw the sale of the old cattle market to the grocery giant.

This included a ‘shared space’ fronting the new Morrisons site and a pedestrianised area on Frogmore Street from the Wetherspoon public house, to Whitehorse Lane.