Sir,

I recently read a letter in a local publication from a disgruntled visitor who stated that the summer traffic ban in Tenby had caused more difficulties for her and her disabled partner than they had met in earlier visits to Rome and to sites of archaeological interest in Sicily. They had apparently conquered the latter successfully but, she explained, "Tenby defeated us".

I'm sure that most local people with a disability will sympathise, as will any visitor whose mobility is limited. During the summer ban, parking places outside the walls are at a premium and are often used illegally. (It's no consolation to a disabled driver/passenger to know that a traffic warden may fine the person who is parked in 'their' space.)

Whilst it may sound straightforward for officers of PCC to advise that we should use the multi-storey car park, disabilities come in many forms. Some people are only ambulant for a short period of time, perhaps just enough to allow them to park and shop in the centre of Tenby. Similarly, many wheelchair users are dependent upon elderly partners to push them and must weigh the prospect of a journey to and from the car park against their carer's wellbeing.

Whilst I was sincerely delighted to read that those living 'within the walls' will now have access to and from their homes (a basic human right), I and many local disabled people remain excluded from Tenby during the summer ban. Our spending power is as valid as others, but we are effectively prohibited from the town centre. We have slowly become resigned to this exclusion, but we feel particularly concerned for innocent visitors whose holiday in or around Tenby is affected or spoiled by the current unyielding legislation.

Although there is justified publicity about the abuse of 'blue badge' parking, surely appropriate checks at access points could deal with this? The numbers of genuinely disabled people seeking access to the town centre would be relatively minimal and Tenby would lose its growing reputation for inhospitability to disabled visitors.

J. Bailey-Dering, Saundersfoot.