A public inquiry is to be held into Tenby's controversial pedestrianisation scheme. Pembrokeshire County Council's proposal to make permanent the prohibition of motor vehicles from the walled town between the hours of 11 am and 5 pm during July and August each year will be considered at at inquiry in April next year. This has already been the subject of several experimental schemes, the latest of which took place last summer. A spokesman for the council said that whilst the experiments had been generally well received, it was committed to ensuring that all views were canvassed before an independent inspector appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government. A pre-inquiry hearing will take place at the De Valence Pavilion in Upper Frog Street on February 14, to which everyone who has already objected will be invited, while the inquiry itself will take place between April 24 and 27 at the same venue. With the inquiry comes the opportunity to submit new objections and add to registered objections. Representations can be made by anyone who feels they have an interest. Objections should be sent to the Planning Inspectorate, Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff, by January 27. Tenby Walled Town Residents Association have welcomed this week's news. Association spokesman, Richard Walker, said: "Everyone who values the social fabric of the town should make their views known as the number of permanent residents has radically fallen over the last four years. The balance of the town is in jeopardy," "Tenby Walled Town Residents' Association is delighted that someone will now sit independently to say if this scheme is acceptable as it stands. "We still do not have the name of the inspector, but we can now look forward to a fair and reasonable decision. Let's hope the inspector appointed by Pembrokeshire County Council can be seen to be open and transparently independent. "Rather than trying to squeeze us out of the due process the county council has had to succumb to the democratic procedure. The county council's successive schemes have led to almost a doubling of objections to their permanent orders from 36 in 2003 to 61 in 2005. They must be doing something wrong." He continued: "We have to thank our MP and the Assembly for reminding the county council that the continued use of experimental orders was questionable. I also have to congratulate our members for their stoic and unwavering support as this has taken four years of constant letter writing and meetings to reach this point. "In their four years of 'experiments', the county council has dogmatically refused to consider or test the effect of an 'experiment' permitting free access for residents. "Nowhere else in the United Kingdom has there been seven-day restrictions or the level of prohibition on travel imposed on Tenby residents. Residents of the Tower of London have free vehicle access, so why not the residents of Tenby? With freer access to some of the 16 streets inside the walls, many residential, most of the differences of opinion could have been resolved years ago. He added: "This association is in favour of pedestrianisation in Tenby as part of a wider traffic management scheme. "Pembrokeshire County Council's responsibility is to manage the traffic, not incarcerate the citizens and ignore their human rights. The county council discriminates against the residents inside the walls; we are not treated the same as other citizens. Walled town residents are expected to temper their rights and accept the scheme for 'the greater good'. "The restrictions are excessive and unnecessary. We have always believed that there is a middle way with freer access for the remaining residents, the businesses and the service trades which would show the town off as a vibrant community with a working harbour. "However, we are told to accept the county council plan or 'pull the plug'. At last we will have an impartial view on all this from an inspector." To confirm what it is to do next, the association has an open meeting on Friday, January 6, at 7 pm, in Church House, Upper Frog Street. You can also boost the fighting fund by sending donations to TWTRA treasurer Mark Brace at Grey Rock, St. Julian Street.
