An MCC report is seeking approval for implementing speed restrictions without any public consultation across the county.

The council claims it has received numerous requests and concerns from “stakeholders and community representatives” regarding existing speed limits in various localities.

In response, council officers have conducted thorough reviews of the present speed limits at each location, taking into account current government guidance and regulations for setting appropriate statutory speed limits and are presenting these for approval by the Cabinet member, Catrin Maby tomorrow, August 20th.

One such speed restriction is to lower the Monmouth to Rockfield road to 40mph (currently 60mph).

The report says concerns have been raised by officers regarding the speed management on the B4233 connecting the 20mph zones of Monmouth and Rockfield. The issue is that the current arrangement creates inappropriate and sudden speed changes, “which can compromise road safety and create enforcement challenges. Furthermore, the road's alignment, featuring numerous bends and challenging geometry, does not safely support higher travelling speeds.”

The report proposes a 40mph speed limit for this section.

Another such speed restriction will be the unclassified Groesonnen Road, from the garden centre at Mitchel Troy to the village of Mitchel Troy following on from a 50mph speed limit from the entrance to Troy Farm to the garden centre.

Other 40 mph zones include from Frank Sutton’s to the A40 dual and one for the Staunton Road from the junction with Hadnock Road to the border.

Concerns have been identified regarding the appropriateness of the current 40mph speed limit through The Hendre. The report says that this route was designated 40mph when the national default for built-up areas was 30mph; following the implementation of 20mph as the default for restricted roads in Wales, the speed differential between this route and surrounding residential roads has become inappropriate.

“The authority proposes a reduction to a 30mph speed limit.”

The report also recommends that the residential area surrounding the B4233/B4347 junction in Rockfield meets the criteria for a 20mph speed limit under Welsh Government guidance following an engineering review.

“The issue primarily revolves around high levels of pedestrian activity, including vulnerable road users such as children and the elderly, interacting with vehicular traffic at a junction with complex geometry and visibility constraints.”

The report adds that proposals to introduce 20mph and 30mph limits in residential areas like Rockfield, The Hendre, and Gwernesney directly support the creation of more equal and cohesive communities.

Other restrictions include: A 40mph speed limit on the B4235, Chepstow to Mynydd Bach. 30mph buffer speed limits on the B4596, Llancayo. A 20mph speed limit on Common Road, Mitchell Troy. A 40mph speed limit on Conway Drive, Chepstow. To revoke the 20mph existing speed limit on the A466, Llandogo. A 20mph speed limit on the Lane from B4293 to Park House, Itton Common. A 20mph speed limit on Crick Road, Portskewett. 30mph and 40mph speed limits on the B4235, Gwernesney. A 20mph speed limit on the A466, Tintern.