MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council's free Christmas parking initiative has been met with some concern in Chepstow.

The scheme saw council car parks in Chepstow, Monmouth and Abergavenny offering free parking on Saturdays leading up to Christmas.

Although business groups in Chepstow have reported improved trade from the Saturday free parking, they have also said that some drivers have been parking for free and then using public transport to go shopping in Bristol and Cardiff, detracting from the scheme's aims.

Sarah Beynon, chair of Chepstow Chamber of Commerce says: "We welcome the free parking on Saturdays throughout Christmas.

"There is also the feeling that a 'festive gesture' such as free parking on these days is helpful to footfall in town.

"However, there is general concern that some drivers may be taking advantage of free parking to leave their cars in Chepstow and take the bus or train to Cardiff or Cribbs Causeway.

"Along with Destination Chepstow we are asking our members to comment about free Christmas parking and if they feel that the investment from MCC may be better spent in other ways.

"The results of this will be known after Christmas and we will take action accordingly."

Chepstow Marketing Group will also be weighing up the benefits in the new year as, in a meeting on Tuesday 16th December, concerns about the validity of free parking were raised by Annie Rainsbury, curator of Chepstow Museum, and Mayor Ned Heywood.

"I have been told by a couple of traders that they did not think that it was bringing people into Chepstow and that people were using it to park and take public transport to shop elsewhere," said Annie Rainsbury.

Businesses in Monmouth, however, have seen very positive results from the scheme.

Independent shops comment ed that this improvement in trade is to be expected with Christmas just days away, but feel that the free parking on offer has helped the situation, especially because the scheme has been running for a few years now.

Richard Thorne at Rossiter Books on Church Street said: "The scheme has been running for the last few years so it's difficult to say whether sales have improved because of the free parking any more than would be expected from seasonal trade.

"We know from customers though that it would certainly effect us if the free parking was stopped. Local residents know of it now and rely on it."

At the other end of Monmouth's town centre, Lisa at Envee Shoes, Monnow Street, said: "There has been really positive feedback from our regular customers. They think it is a really good idea.

"We have been noticeably busier and it seemed as though there were more people in town too."

Monmouth seems to have benefitted from its location with those shoppers driving into the town actually spending their money there.

Councillor Phil Hobson, MCC's cabinet member for community development, said: "Free parking over three Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas has been such a success over the past four years that it's right to repeat it. 

"It costs the council around £17,000 in lost revenue each year, but of course our towns benefit enormously from increased custom in shops and restaurants. And it reminds people what a brilliant range of outlets we have in our towns."