Sir
Re. 'New bypass for Lydstep'. The fact that such an idea could even cross the minds of such learned individuals as the members of the Manorbier Community Council or the Lydstep Community Association is far beyond my comprehension.
As I read in the Tenby Observer, October 31, apparently LCA are requested by Manorbier Community Council to keep a diary of road accidents in Lydstep in order that this may be presented to the county council when requesting a new bypass for Lydstep.
As a resident of Lydstep myself since January, 1996, may I offer some statistics for the diary. To begin, almost all accidents have happened well outside school or office hours and can be attributed to either speed, lack of concentration (probably brought about by alcohol) and the surprise of a fairly sharp bend when entering the village from either direction.
To my knowledge, a bypass for Lydstep was suggested to the county council many years ago and was very sensibly refused. More recently, Lydstep village was included in an enhancement scheme which also affected both Jameston and Penally.
A major part of the SPARC recommended scheme that affected Lydstep was the suggestion of 'extensive taffic calming' by the emplacement of speed restricting gates at each approach to the village by means of pinching the road down to half its normal width, and the addition of well-illuminated outsized 30 mph signs - all designed to encourage drivers of the dark hours to be 'alert' and pass safely and respectfully through our village, and drivers of the light hours, a large percentage of whom are tourists responsible for probably 80 per cent of industry in the area, to experience yet another of Pembrokeshire's many quaint villages after turning away from the hustle and bustle of the M4 and other major routes.
Can anyone enlighten me as to why the suggested village enhancement/traffic calming scheme was never accepted in its entirety?
One or two pretty cobbled pavements, a bench and a plantation, that's it! 'Full stop'. Where's the traffic calming in that? Did SPARC (now PLANED) simply run out of funding options for the project, or did some person or persons collectively put a stop to the traffic calming part of the project, and if so, where do they reside?
The downsides to the village bypass are endless. There would, I imagine, just as with Penally, have to be a way on and off the proposed bypass at each end of the village, similar to the one by Penally TA Camp, governed only by the national speed limit of 60 mph, as opposed to the 30 mph limit that we have achieved so far.
Similarly, the other entrance/ exit to Penally by Kiln Park Service Station also enjoys a 30 mph speed limit, but unfortunately has over the years experienced far more accidents than Lydstep... Should we bypass it? No! As you see, it has recently been controlled with the very sensible use of calming and enhancement.
What effect does a village bypass have on local businesses? Answer... it strangulates them to the extent that they have to resort to blotting the newly created route/bypass by erecting signage - some not very professionally made and certainly to the annoyance of local councils - in the hope of encouraging some of the now faster moving traffic to turn off and into the village to hopefully sample their wares.
The way forward in my opinion is to 'improve not move'; let's get them back to finish the entire project that was on offer. We've got our enhancement (just), where's our traffic calming?'
A catalogue of suggestions and diagrams put to the village by SPARC (now PLANED) inviting a village response for the enhancement and traffic calming of Lydstep village, dated March 1995, in draft report form, is in my possession and may be viewed by all.
Roger Williams, Landlord, The Lydstep Tavern, Lydstep Village.