Road network hit with £0.5m in damages caused by storms Bert and Darragh

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Storms Bert and Darragh have caused around half a million pounds worth of damage to the road network in one local authority in south Wales.

The figure was given when the councillor responsible for the environment, including highways, was asked about maintenance of roads in Monmouthshire.

Labour’s Catrin Maby said highways officers are anxious to provide her with an up to date list of repairs and maintenance in priority order but warned: “Something might happen next week and we do have probably half a million pounds worth of damage to our roads from the recent storms so I’m really cautious about making promises I can’t keep.”

Flooding

Heavy rain, especially during Storm Bert in late November, caused flooding with northern parts of Monmouthshire worst hit and flash flooding also impacted the Wye Valley including Tintern and Chepstow.

Conservative councillor for Usk, Tony Kear, had asked at the December council meeting for an update on repairs and maintenance, which he said is linked to a debate the council held on flood prevention, and asked when “deteriorating surfaces” on Chepstow Road, Maryport Street and Porthycarne Street in his ward would be resurfaced.

He said: “It is a constant question I face.”

Cllr Maby said the council needs a date for when the chainbridge will be fixed as she said it wouldn’t want Porthycarne Street closed at the same time.

She also said work planned for this year at Little Mill, in the Usk and Llanbadoc ward, had to be delayed due to an electrical upgrade at Glascoed and the money was instead shifted to Crick and it hoped to do the work in Little Mill in 2025.

Cllr Maby also said the roads maintenance schedule for 2024/25 is on target but said “we’ve got some difficult decisions next year.”