IT has been confirmed that work on replacing the Victorian mains water pipe in Monmouth will begin this month and continue until November 2024.

A confirmed schedule of works up to the end of this year will see three teams working concurrently throughout the town with traffic flow management systems in place.

The Town Clerk, Caitlin Williams, Claire Sullivan (MCC) and Sherren McCabe-Finlayson (Chamber of Commerce) met with representatives of Welsh Water and Morrison Utility Service regarding the upcoming disruption with the work to upgrade the drinking water network. 

They were able to express their concerns about some of the plans and also provide some local knowledge that they hope will improve the experience for the contractors, traders and residents. 

The works are starting this week (October 23) in three areas and Welsh Water have given a schedule of the timings and a brief description of the streets they will be working on.

The first team will begin at the roundabout of Cinderhill Street and Drybridge Street at the end of October up to the middle of November with two-way lights and a road closure on Goldwire Lane.

Then they will continue into Monnow Street to the junction outside Handyman House from the middle of November until beginning of December with multi-way traffic lights in operation. Welsh Water has stressed that the first team will not work during the Christmas period in Monmouth town centre, as agreed with the council.

A second team will begin the work on Wyebridge Street/A466 at around the same time up until the middle of November with traffic management in place.

Then they will carry on work at St James Street/Almhouse St continuing into Glendower St from the middle of November until the beginning of December with multi-way traffic lights controlling the vehicle flow.

A third team will begin on Dixton Road next week with the work estimating to last until the middle of December with multi-way traffic lights.

These last two teams will be working up until the Christmas break, returning in January 2024.

One trader we contacted said it was “ludicrous” to begin work on the three main routes into town at the same time and claimed: “it is a storm of chaos, this has blatantly been planned by someone that doesn’t know the town.

“There’s new businesses trying to open in the town and they’re going to wonder why on earth they’ve bothered!”

The trader added: “there are three new businesses in the White Swan courtyard alone and they are all seriously worried that with no parking, traffic lights, a one way system and the pinch point closure, that footfall will be even lower than ever before”.

The website dwrcymru.com/inyourarea aims to provide regular updates for their customers, as well as using their social media pages and investment page for high level information. The virtual room is also available, where customers can visit for information on the work Monmouth.exhibition.app.   

There is another meeting in November with Welsh Water to discuss the post-Christmas works which will see the teams moving into Monnow Street as there is no confirmation of the works schedule for this time yet. 

The town clerk told the Beacon: “We all stressed the importance of keeping residents and businesses in the loop and asked that they use the Town Council and the Chamber as their communication network to ensure as many people know about any potential disruption during the works.  Welsh Water have agreed to do this which is really positive. I will ensure that the Beacon is kept informed as and when we hear and know about things.”