THE 30mph speed limit through a Wye Valley village is legal - despite claims there were not enough repeater signs.

At Trellech United Community Council's meeting on Monday, Cllr Ron Hempstead said that he had been banging on about the speed limit signs in Llanishen being invalid for five years.

He believed that there were not enough repeater signs following the speed limit in the village being reduced from 40mph to 30mph.

He said: "However, I was not aware of the recent change in legislation that says that repeater signs are not required in areas where there are street lamps.

"And as Llanishen has just one street lamp it meets this requirement. But to me this situation does not make sense."

Monmouthshire County Council's head of highways David Harris recently visited the area to see the problem for himself and explained in a letter to the council that streetlights usually mean that there is a 30mph speed limit in place unless other signage gives a different limit.

He added: "In effect the street lights themselves act as the regular reminder to motorists of the 30mph speed limit.

"National law does not allow for repeater signs to be used for 30mph limit on lit roads and any provision of such signs may invalidate police speed enforcement.

"It is only in locations where there is no street lighting can repeater signs be permitted."

Cllr Hempstead added: "There is one 40mph sign still left in the village and I thought about holding an annual party in its honour until its removal."