THIS newspaper has reported on a number of cases where court orders have been issued to close down properties.

Usually, the cases involved the use of drugs at the properties. So-called drug house closure orders.

It was unusual last week to see a property in Newport being closed down by court order in an anti social behaviour closure brought by Gwent Police.

Officers oversaw 30 John Ireland Close, in Alway being boarded up after a family of 11 were ordered out of their home for three months by Cwmbran Magistrates.

The order on the four-bedroomed house was made after complaints were made by eight different neighbours. Some had lived in the street for three decades.

Additional foot patrols over the coming days in the area to provide re-assurance to John Ireland Close residents.

Barrister James Lewis, on behalf of Gwent Police, told Cwmbran Magistrates Court that officers have regularly attended the address over the last 10 months in relation to complaints of nuisance, shouting, swearing, dogs, parking of vehicles and the observing of residents.

Complaints were also made that there was dangerous driving at high speeds in the Close and that verbal threats had been made to other residents, the court was told.

The lead tenant had denied all the allegations.

Occupants will be committing a crime and could face imprisonment if they go into the property over the next three months.

A closure order is clearly the end of a long tether.

Police have a number of weapons in their arsenals to deal with anti social behaviour - acceptable behaviour contracts, individual anti social behaviour orders which threaten criminal sanctions if breached, for example.

Local authority noise control officers can gather evidence and go to a court to issue noise control orders - some with the power to seize musical equipment, for example.

And landlords can evict tenants for anti social behaviour.

But these are processes which take time, and in the meantime, local people continue to suffer.

And some people think an Asbo is a badge of honour, instead of a wake-up call.

What we really need is an end to this culture of entitlement without responsibility. We need to give it no place to hide.

Remember the old "there is no society" nonsense?

It has a lot for which to answer.

We all have a responsibility to be considerate to our neighbours - not to make their lives miserable with loud noise, threats, not to make them feel uncomfortable and under surveillance.

We each have the right to a home where we can live in peace - without ruining the home lives of our neighbours.

Time we all behaved that way, and that we recognise an expectation of social responsibility is as much part of our culture as any entitlement we feel.

THE new Pye Corner railway station in Newport will open on December 14.

The £3.5 million new rail station has been jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the Department of Transport’s New Station Fund which pledged to build five new stations across the UK.

Once opened in December, the station will be served by the existing hourly Ebbw Vale to Cardiff service with the potential for additional destinations to be introduced in the future.

Good news for Bassaleg.

But good news for Newport?

The Ebbw Valley line still has no permanent connection with Newport City Centre. We are revamping our shopping centre, creating new homes to regenerate our city centre, but the rail links in Newport are lamentable.

One new station does not create a rail revolution.

Here's a thought: if this railway station can be built and opened within 34 weeks, why no halts on other parts of existing lines like Duffryn/Maesglas? Why no stations in major areas for homes and employment like Llanwern and Caerleon?

If we want people to come into our city centre, rather than drive to a retail park, time to encourage them with proper localised rail links like Cardiff's.

That Ebbw Vale to Newport rail link is needed urgently.