NEWPORT traders have been offered a vision of the future and a chance to get involved in making the dream a reality.

Traders were given a step-by-step overview of the measures that are to be taken to transform the town over the next three years.

And the traders have even been assured that the thorny issue of town centre parking could be eased when one of a selection of proposed retail developments for Newport is chosen soon.

Newport Town Centre Partnership director Mal-colm Hall outlined NTCP's action plan for the next year and also its three-year business plan at a special meeting of Newport Chamber of Trade at Newport Centre.

Flanked by NTCP chairman Peter McClure of Boots The Chemist, Mr Hall said "partnership" was key to the success of the exciting scheme and that "together we can make a difference if we try".

He urged traders and townspeople to "talk up" the town and concentrate on the positive rather than negative parts of city-status-bidding Newport.

Mr Hall, who spent 12-and-a-half years in a similar town/city centre role in Coventry and also the three English coastal towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, said the one-year action plan could be achieved. "I believe it can be accomplished in the first year - I don't believe it is simply a wish list, only that if we wish to do it we will do it."

He said the partnership was supported by both public sector and private sector businesses.

And by April next year Mr Hall said he hoped to be able to list a catalogue of objectives for the town which have been achieved.

"This is not about rhetoric, it is about action, it is about delivering projects and gaining commitment from all sections of the community."

Mr Hall, in position in Newport for six months, urged established traders in the town to "open your eyes and look and see all the good things that you've got here in Newport". He said: "The architecture of the town is tremendous - how many town centres have the architecture that you have here in Newport?"

Mr Hall agreed that the town needs a range of shops and stores, big and small, across the range to attract a greater breadth of people with a variety of spending power. He said the profile of Newport needs to be raised through issues such as CCTV and making the centre more welcoming for families and in the evening, for a greater range of people.

And he said within the next four weeks a decision could be made over a major development for the town centre which could at the same time ease Newport's car parking headache.

Mr Hall said success for the town was not about leaving the work to others but "self help". And he spoke of initiatives planned for the town to promote it such as a 32-page full colour glossy magazine for Christmas and a regular "What's on Guide" for the town.

Mr Hall said he was concerned that potential shoppers in Newport were instead choosing rival centres such as Cardiff and Bristol's Cribb's Causeway and also Cwmbran and "even" Blackwood.