RESIDENTS of a Newport cul-de-sac where its access bridge closed last year over fears it would collapse say a supermarket is refusing to offer food deliveries to their homes because it takes too long. 

It comes after Newport City Council made a decision to close an emergency entrance to Forge Mews of the A467 bypass, in Bassaleg, earlier this month – meaning no vehicles can access the street.

News of the closure was met with fierce opposition from residents – who now have to park their cars in designated parking bays on nearby Viaduct Way and walk across Old-Bassaleg Bridge – which reopened to pedestrians in January – to their homes.

South Wales Argus: Some residents erected a sign in frustration with the council's decision to close the emergency entrance.Some residents erected a sign in frustration with the council's decision to close the emergency entrance.

This sparked worry about how elderly residents – particularly those in wheelchairs – would manage, as well as other concerns about carrying shopping to homes.

“We’ve got Iceland now refusing to deliver to us because of the situation,” resident Alison Williams said.

“They’ve said to us that they only have a three minute delivery window, and it takes too long for us to leave our homes, walk over to their vans on the other side of the bridge and carry our shopping back over.

“We had a few Amazon parcels for delivery a couple of days ago that were apparently just thrown over the fence.”

Ms Williams says she is using a cart to help shift food from people’s cars to their homes.

South Wales Argus: Cars can no longer access Forge Mews.Cars can no longer access Forge Mews.

“We’ve got a cart for the street to help with getting shopping over from Viaduct Way,” she added.

“But Newport City Council promised us they’d provide trollies to help us carry shopping across but that’s not happened.”

There’s also been issues with the designated parking pays on Viaduct Way, with one resident receiving a parking ticket.

“Tony, who lives on Forge Mews, was booked by a traffic officer the other week for parking his car in the bays that the council had specifically given to residents,” Ms Williams added.

“The bin situation is a nightmare – we’ve got people from outside the street chucking waste in there.”

South Wales Argus: Recycling bins at Forge Mews.Recycling bins at Forge Mews.

Ms Williams says residents are still in the dark about what the next phase of repairs to Old-Bassaleg Bridge will be.

“We still have no idea what’s going to happen going forward,” she said.

“As I’ve said before, we can’t get through to the council when we try and there’s never any consultation when they make these decisions.”

Labour MP for Newport West Ruth Jones is due to visit Forge Mews on Friday, April 1 to assess the current situation.

Iceland has been approached for a comment.