Town councillors in Tenby this week discussed what changes they would like to see made to the resort's pedestrianisation period, if consideration was given to extending the summer scheme.

Members of the council recently held a meeting with the Chamber of Trade and Tourism, when Pembrokeshire County Council's director of transportation, Ian Westley, was present to review the scheme, with the possibility of extending it discussed.

The meeting, which also saw the county council's traffic engineer, Ben Blake, and street care and parking services manager, Marc Owen, in attendance, focused on three main aspects of the scheme - the hours and the period of operation, and the infrastructure supporting the scheme.

At Tuesday night's meeting of the town council, it was noted that the town clerk had written to various organisations around Tenby to pass on the proposals that were put forward at the Chamber of Trade meeting, to see if there was support to increase the length of time in the day and number of days that the town centre was pedestrianised.

However, Clr. Mike Evans felt it was time that the town council themselves formulated a firm set of proposals which the town's people could comment on.

"The consensus of opinion is that these are just 'Chinese whispers' on the street and people are unsure about what the exact proposals for altering the scheme are," he told his colleagues.

"We need to have a defined proposal to put to people that can be taken forward for consultation. All people are doing at the moment is responding to scaremongering.

"It's of utmost importance, though, that any changes to the scheme safeguard the residents and businesses of the town, as what they have now, should be protected. Access should remain unfettered for residents with permits, who should be perfectly entitled to exit and enter the town and their properties unlimited, whatever time of day," continued Clr. Evans.

His fellow member, Clr. Lawrence Blackhall, agreed and said that he envisaged it would be of benefit to the town if the pedestrianisation period could be extended to fall in line with the Ironman Wales event mid-September.

"A small extension into September so that the town could celebrate another successful summer period with a large festival to finish off, would be a great climax for the season in Tenby," he remarked.

Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown said that the town needed to be proactive in protecting Tenby as a premier resort for future generations, and that extending events in the town over the summer would help achieve that.

Deputy Mayor, Clr. Paul Rapi, agreed and told his colleagues that this was a period of change and that the town was attracting events not just in the six-week period of the summer, so more control over the streets was needed to accommodate this.

However, Clr. Mrs. Tish Rossiter didn't want to see the scheme extended and preferred to keep the status quo and leave the period at six weeks.

The proposals which councillors agreed upon to look at for the scheme were to:

Amend the street order from June 1 to September 30 to give maximum flexibility for the scheme in the future; amend the order to end the pedestrianiation period at 5.30 pm; for 2015, to implement a trial starting on July 4 continuing up to and including September 14 (to allow for a festival in Tudor Square to celebrate the conclusion of Ironman Wales); permanent traffic lights to be installed on Crackwell Street, with them operating from 8 am during the pedestrianisation period to improve traffic flow to the harbour; pop-up bollards to be installed in High Street, St. Julian Street and Church Street, to demark the total exclusion zone; existing rights of access for residents to remain as now.

"A defined list of proposals will give organisations something to respond to, and we're not saying that these additions to the scheme will remain forever, be cut in stone or even happen at all; it just gives a set of parameters for people to discuss," added Clr. Blackhall.