A question to the Police Superintendent at January's Full Council meeting led to an operation being undertaken by Gwent Police which resulted in numerous prosecutions and an arrest.
Rogerstone North Ward Councillor Chris Reeks raised the issue of lorries using the B4591 in Rogerstone as a cut-through from Junction 27 of the M4 to Chartist Drive to Superintendent White during the police question time that take place at each Full Council meeting. The B4591 road is subject to a weight restriction of 7.5 tonne and also part of an air quality managed area (AQMA). "The road is a particularly congested one during rush-hour", said Chris, "..and the residents who live along the road should not have to suffer further noise and pollution from vehicles that are using the road illegally".
An operation was launched the following week by the Commercial Vehicles Unit of Gwent Police along the B4591, with some spectacular results - 7 vehicles stopped and the drivers prosecuted for using the road with lorries over the weight limit, numerous motoring offences recorded, 3 vehicles stopped for unsafe loads with 1 prohibited from carrying on it's journey and a driver arrested for drug driving!
"The swift action by the police unit has had an immediate and positive impact on the resident's living along the B4591. Hopefully drivers will think twice now about using the road as a short-cut without regard for the people who live there"
