Following completion of the first stage of an Active Travel consultation on proposed cycling and walking routes via Monnow Street in Monmouth last year, Monmouthshire County Council received a total of 561 responses to the first stage online survey. This feedback has helped to inform the first of three stages that will lead to the selection of the final proposed plan.

The first stage featured these options:

• Option 1: traffic allowed to travel one-way in the southwest bound direction only, a segregated cycleway to accommodate cyclists travelling in the northeast bound direction, and widened footways.
• Option 2: maintain two-way traffic flow, a segregated cycleway to accommodate cyclists travelling in the northeast bound direction, and footway widening.
• Option 3: Improve the condition of footway and carriageway with no changes to the layout.
• Option 4A: In addition to Option 1, provide an alternative cycleway and footway from Monnow Street through Chippenham Fields to Chippenhamgate Street.
• Option 4B: In addition to Option 2, provide an alternative cycleway and footway from Monnow Street through Chippenham Fields to Chippenhamgate Street.

Options 1, 2 4A and 4B all proposed significant change, and in particular improvements for pedestrians and cyclists – and most respondents were in favour of one of these options in the first round of consultation. However, the one-way system option (Option 1) was also the least favourite proposal and received negative feedback from the residents and businesses when trialled in 2020. The alternative cycleway and footway envisaged in options 4A and 4B is not currently eligible for Welsh Government Active Travel funding, so these options have been removed from the proposals to avoid any delay to the changes on Monnow Street being implemented.

For these reasons, in the current stage two public consultation, Monmouthshire County Council is focusing on Option 2, which maintains two-way traffic while improving provision for pedestrians and cyclists. Now the second stage consultation has begun and residents and businesses are being asked to again share their opinions to these proposals. The proposed route will run along Monnow Street from Agincourt Square and make use of the ancient fortified river bridge.  It will link with an existing Active Travel route starting at Williams Field Lane off Overmonnow’s Wonastow Road. 

Funding provided by the Welsh Government has enabled the council to carry out a feasibility study to determine the best approach for the scheme since early December 2021. The study, which is running until September 2022, includes traffic counts, usage studies, safety assessments and topographical surveys and data on car, pedestrian and cycling patterns, recorded via sensors and cameras along the proposed route. These record vehicle volumes and speeds, the volume of pedestrian and cycle traffic, street crossings, near misses and potential conflict between pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.

Residents, businesses and visitors have until 16^th February 2022 to feedback their opinions on the Option 2 proposals. For more information on this consultation visit www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/monnow-street-consultation-2/