A STUDY is to be carried out in Caerwent to see if the volume and speed of traffic through the village can be reduced.

As the Argus previously revealed, a bid for £10,000 to carry out the study was included in this year's budget - but led to criticism by some members of Monmouthshire county council.

Opponents were concerned that it was simply spending more money after of the previous traffic calming scheme, installed in 1997, was removed after complaints.

The bid was linked to a further amount in the 2003-04 budget for £100,000 to implement a traffic- calming scheme.

Now the environment select committee has agreed that a study is needed to see if the council can find a way of cutting down the amount of traffic through the village, and reducing speeds.

Highways chief David Harris said: "There is a clear need to do something about the speed of the traffic and the safety of pedestrians in Caerwent.

"Speed cameras may be a better deterrent than signs. Since the last traffic-calming scheme there has been an increase in the amount of traffic through the village. "The difficulty in any traffic- calming scheme is fitting in with the wishes of the community and the fact that it is a conservation area.

"The accidents at the eastern end of the village have all been speed-related so Gwent Police are looking at siting a speed camera there."

Mr Harris said the traffic-calming measures were removed after complaints from local residents when a car driver, who was travelling at only 20mph, overturned the car. He said: "A safety audit was carried out and the decision taken to remove the traffic-calming and the 20mph speed limit."

Councillor Gerald Robbins said: "The road from the monument in Caerwent to the A48 is like a race track."

Council chairman Councillor Donald Spencer added: "If there is a way of preventing traffic going through the village to reach the A48 it would go a long way to solving the problem."