Tenby Town Council are to look into the legalities of bringing out an injunction against Pembrokeshire County Council in a bid to stop August's proposed walled town traffic ban.
They are also to write to National Assembly minister Edwina Hart, asking her to look at the way the county council have handled the issue, believing their consultation process to be "seriously flawed."
The cabinet of Pembrokeshire County Council have given the green light to an experiment banning all but emergency vehicles from the walled town between 12 noon and 4 pm from August 3 to 31, despite opposition from walled town residents and traders.
A county council letter was circulated to walled town residents at the weekend explaining the proposals, but at Tuesday night's meeting of the town council it was argued that this should have been done before the cabinet made their final decision.
Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas told fellow members that she had received numerous telephone calls about the proposed ban.
'Like most people I feel there should be some kind of traffic management plan for Tenby, but not a piecemeal approach like this," she said.
"As our two county councillors appear to be in favour of this and as an elected representative of the south ward, which includes the walled town, I must speak out.
"The feeling amongst the walled town residents I have spoken to is that the consultation on this is deeply flawed and the consequences of this have not been thought through," Clr. Mrs. Thomas continued.
"The walled town residents were not consulted individually and only some of the town's organisations were consulted - and none of these was democratically elected and are just selective pressure groups," she opined.
"The only democratically elected organisation consulted was Tenby Town Council and our views were completely ignored.
"Because of the working harbour, access needs to be maintained at all times because the tide is not governed by a clock. Have the residents of Caldey been consulted on this, because it affects them too?"
Clr. Mrs. Thomas felt that able bodied people would be able to cope with the traffic ban, but wondered about the less able bodied and elderly, particularly if they had to get from the supermarket with shopping.
She said that Mr. Huw Roberts, director of transport and environment at County Hall, had stated that things could be arranged for people experiencing difficulties.
"But he did not explain how," she claimed. "He did not explain the process or who they have to consult for permission. It has just not been thought through."
Clr. Mrs. Thomas also felt many businesses would experience problems.
She noted two letters before council from walled town residents, Mr. Richard Walker and Mr. Martin Lamb, pointing out flaws in the proposals.
"These two gentlemen are in the modern media business and Tenby is a long way from London for couriers," she pointed out. "People will not be able to run their businesses effectively under these measures. Will people be compensated if they are unable to carry out their lawful business?"
Clr. Mrs. Thomas also wondered what would happen to visitors arriving by train to stay at premises within the walled town.
"There are no secure facilities for luggage at the station. Are they to carry their cases all that way? And I can't imagine a family getting on the park and ride from the Salterns with all their luggage. The whole thing has not been thought through.
"How many visitors will cancel their holidays because of this? How many visitors will turn away from the town because all the car parks will be full of the walled town residents cars that have been displaced by these measures?
"This will not be good for the viability of the town, yet no extra spaces have been provided. Another example of things not being thought through.
"Traffic problems are not unique, but Tenby is, we are a walled town peninsular resort and any solutions to our traffic problems must be thought through."
The county council say we must bite the bullet on this. Is that because it will be a very painful operation?"
Clr. Mrs. Thomas called for the walled town residents to form a residents association.
"That way the county council will have to consult with them," she pointed out.
Clr. Mrs. Thomas also called for a meeting with Mr. Roberts as soon as possible for him to address some of the concerns.
Clr. Mickey Folland wondered if Clr. Mrs. Thomas would be happy with the plan if all the problems were overcome.
"She replied that she felt there was some leeway, but she could not speak for the walled town residents.
"It is not up to me to decide for them, they need to be consulted," she stressed.
Clr. Folland felt that if the town's yellow line restrictions had been enforced, Tenby would not be facing a traffic ban.
"The problem is people of Tenby think they are safely parked if they are on double yellow lines," he said.
He claimed that many people had called him supporting the proposed ban.
Clr. Folland admitted that the March 1999 experiment had been a failure, but he was convinced that the new signage proposed for the new experiment would prove effective.
He had raised 26 concerns with Mr. Roberts himself, which had all been answered to his satisfaction, which was why he now supported the experiment for one month.
Clr. Mrs. Maureen Ward wondered how the experiment would be policed, with Clr. Folland of the opinion that the only satisfactory way was with two uniformed police officers, one at White Lion Corner and the other at the Belmont Arch.
Clr. Miss Lis James felt that the county council were playing a game of 'Diceman'.
"They've picked six ideas and thrown a dice to see which to implement, because there's no thought behind this," she opined. "It's like the county council have got fed up with other county towns and have decided to pick on Tenby.
"Whenever we ask them to do things in Tenby they say they haven't got the money, but now they're prepared to throw £10,000s at the police to have officers standing around in one place for four hours a day.
"We're told the police can't cope with the requirements of them now, what will happen to the rest of the town while two officers are standing around at White Lion Corner and the Belmont Arch for four hours a day?
"I can't understand what is going on at county," she continued. "And I am surprised at Clr. Folland. During the last experiment he said he could not stand by and see even one business go under because of it. What has changed in the intervening three years?
Clr. Stuart Fecci felt that the town would end up "dead as a dodo!"
"During the permit scheme some businesses suffered a 33 per cent drop-off in business, during the last experiment a 22 per cent drop off," he claimed.
The county council and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park's own Joint Development Plan states that traffic management schemes and pedestrianisation should only be supported if they do not harm the viability of a town.
"The figures speak for themselves and I am afraid some long established businesses will end up going out of business.
"I also believe that the county council should have given six months notice of this scheme under traffic regulations."
"When the county council formed their cabinet they said they wanted to work in partnership with town and community councils," said Clr. Philip Crockford. "This is not a good way to start. They haven't even informed the town council that the experiment is going ahead.
"I contacted the National Assembly today and they told me that if we felt the consultation process had not been conducted properly, it could make the county council's actions illegal and we could make a formal complaint.
"I also think we ought to survey the people of the town to find out what they really think of this experiment."
Clr. Mrs Kerri Durham agreed.
"The walled town residents are getting the worst of this and they all should be consulted," she said.
"In 1988, during the permit scheme, 1,500 permits were issued and only around 40 applications were refused, which shows that a helluva lot of people needed to get into the walled town," commented Deputy Mayor, Clr. Andrew Rees.
"I am flabbergasted this experiment is going ahead.
"When the county council made a presentation to us on traffic management at St. Johns Church in January, I can recall no mention of this. The first time we heard about it was a couple of weeks ago," he added.
Clr. Mrs. Thomas agreed.
"They made a presentation on traffic to us, but there was no consultation, no feedback, no to and fro of ideas," she argued.
"The whole consultation process seems to be flawed and we should write to Edwina Hart at the National Assembly asking for a full investigation," said Clr. Crockford.
Clr. Rees agreed.
"I also feel we should consult with our solicitors about the possibility of taking out an injunction against the county council on behalf of the town of Tenby," he stressed.
Councillors agreed and also felt a meeting should be set up with Mr. Roberts.
They also agreed to set up a survey into the town's views on the experimental order.
"I don't think we are against some form of pedestrianisation per-say, but we are against this experiment being brought in without any real thought," stressed Clr. Mrs. Thomas.