The legality of planned road closures for this year’s Wales Velothon and their effect on rural communities is still a hot topic despite the efforts of new organisers Run4Wales to improve relations with the public.

Many local residents and business owners aired their views forcefully at a public meeting in Llanfoist earlier this month but left with the impression that nothing would change.

But two of the event’s strongest critics are determined to keep the main issues in the spotlight.

The Rector of Govilon Group of Churches Rev’d Dr Chris Walters says Monmouthshire County Council and the Welsh Assembly are showing ‘total disdain’ for churchgoers with their support for the event - on Sunday May 22.

And Llanfoist resident Charles Lester has written to the Chief Constable Mr J Farrar asking why he was told last year that the road closures were ‘not a police matter’, but has been told by this year’s organisers that if he drives on a closed road he will be ‘breaking the law’.

Rev’d Walters’ main argument - set out in a letter to the Chronicle - is that, far from having a ‘positive impact’ for the people of Gwent as the organisers claim, the event will trap people in their homes for up to nine hours and force churches to close on Sunday, the traditional day of Christian worship.

“Last year Llanellen church had to cancel, at very short notice, a visit from the Bishop of Monmouth because the access roads were closed,” he said.

“This year the church is inaccessible by road and, as a consequence, the regular Sunday service has to be cancelled because ministers cannot reach the church.”

He says angry residents, at the recent public meeting in Llanfoist, were denied any right of recourse and ‘treated with contempt’ by the race organisers, with no opportunity allowed for active discussion.

“Local businesses will close for the day, carers will not be able to visit those in their care and life will be disrupted by a faceless organisation that purports to be acting in the interests of the people of Wales but in fact could not give a toss about the people in Wales but only in private profit,” he said.

“The issue, though, is not about closures, the issue is that this is an illegal act, encouraged by the Welsh Assembly Government who state that they have the ‘necessary instruments’ in place for road closures and yet will not produce them on request, for, as we all know, roads can only be closed by Act of Parliament.

“No such Act has been passed. So this appears to be an illegal conspiracy concocted between MCC, the Welsh Assembly Government and the organisers of the event.

“Why? You may well ask why. Consider this.

“There will be 18,000 cyclists taking part, each one paying £65 for the privilege of riding on closed public roads.

“Whichever way you look at it with Welsh Assembly funding, a large grant of some EU money and a raft of sponsorship, £1,170,000 is a strong argument for a little disruption.

“Unfortunately those funds will go directly to the organisers of the Velothon who are once again raping this country whilst others look on and wring their hands.

“The parishioners of Llanellen church are stunned at the closure of their church on a Sunday.

“Why can’t they do it on a Saturday?” is the cry.

“Why do it at all, we respond?

“This event does nothing for tourism, nothing for the community and adds nothing of value to the council budget and it raises once again the question....who is really running the country?”

Charles Lester, who with his wife Patricia runs an internationally-renowned high end fashion business, is also hoping his letter to the Chief Constable (and copied to local Assembly Member Nick Ramsay and Monmouth MP David Davies) will glean some answers.

In it he says, “Being a resident of Llanfoist I am horrified that for a second year we are to be imprisoned in our homes by the Velothon. Last year after a lot of protests we were given permission to leave our homes as long as it was before 8.30am. I complained to the police and was told that the road closure was not a police matter,

“This year I have threatened to use the road during the hours when it is closed but have now been told by the organisers that I will be breaking the law.

“I have absolutely no intention of driving dangerously or endangering others but I am intending to use the public highway. Can you clarify this discrepancy in police involvement between last year and this?

“Can you also tell me why I am having my civil liberties taken away from me and what right the authorities have to do this? Surely one’s civil liberties being taken away should be a matter far more important to the police?”

* An MCC spokesperson said, “Section 16A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides the council with the authority to close the road to enable a sporting event.

“The council does not charge the Velothon organisers to close the roads and neither does it receive any income from this event.”