AFTER being told by the Welsh Government that parking restrictions in Lower Cross Street would not be lifted, traders are carrying on with their campaign reports ANDY SHERWILL.

Monmouth Assembly Member Nick Ramsay originally spoke on behalf of the traders and raised the concerns with the Minister for Local Government and Communities, Carl Sergeant AM, who appreciated the retail needs of the businesses in the town but explained that parking on the A40 trunk road within the town had to be kept to a minimum because of safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists as well as to other vehicles.

But now Graham Coe from Janus has pointed out that Lower Cross Street has changed considerably since the current regulations were introduced some 25 years ago.

He said: "What was a quiet peripheral street to a market town now serves the wider community as the centre of takeaways.

"The impact upon the takeaways was very marked. We came together to look for a solution. We wanted to involve all interested parties in finding a solution after the police began to target parking in the street on Friday and Saturday evenings after 7pm in 2010.

"The police are quick to suggest that parking in the bus station is a ready alternative for families accessing the takeaways. They have spent years trying to make that area user-friendly after dark, with little success.

"The Minister's decision was based on the premise that we, the traders, wanted the yellow lines removed completely.

Throughout May, June, July and August the double yellow lined areas had been regularly targeted on Friday and Saturday nights between 7pm and 9pm with odd visits as late as 1am.

"We would like to suggest that parking for 30 minutes should be allowed on the northern side of the street from 8am to 6pm with no return within one hour on Monday to Saturday and from 6pm to midnight for 10 minutes with no return within one hour on Monday to Saturday.

"Whilst one respects the law and the role of the police in enforcing that law, we can also expect some sympathy towards our cause and a major effort by all concerned to take the traders' request forward."

Helen Lewis, the Welsh Minister's route manager has since confirmed that having heard additional arguments she is willing to organise a site meeting of interested parties to try and resolve the problem.

Mr Coe added: "I believe the larger community supports the traders' view. We receive a mass of information from all of our customers, not just from the few drivers who receive a penalty - and police officers involved in the enforcement acknowledge that there need to be changes.

"We believe the current parking regulations were formed before the street became the take-away centre of the town and would further suggest that parking on the South side should be non existent.

"We would like to suggest that Monmouthshire County Council could move the existing bollards nearer to the kerb as a deterrent to parking on the pavement."