Make your

ideas known

Sir,

Before they reintroduce the one-way system in White Lion Street; before Tenby is boarded up for the winter, as now happens at Hayling Island; before the banks happily close their loss making branches and everyone chooses to relegate the traffic experiment to history, I ask everyone to make known their ideas for a solution.

It won't go away as next year it could be back April to September, 10 am to 6 pm, or even extend to an evening curfew. No public questionnaire to date has asked if you want fewer hours or if you are happy with the present four hours.

The precedent set by the county council to ignore basic human and civil rights has wider implications for everyone in Tenby leaving decisions on your future to be unilaterally decided by cabinet in Haverfordwest.

Should we be looking at traffic management (with some pedestrian areas) or do we impose a total ban within the walled town, call it pedestrianisation and abdicate any responsibility for traffic managing? Should we ask for an integrated traffic scheme to run all year? Do we ask for the pedestrian areas to be extended to the town car parks? Do we ignore the traffic problems the experiment has created or highlighted and pass them on to areas as far away as Kilgetty?

The Walled Town Residents Association has gained some concessions for the benefit of all and campaigned for a common sense approach to running this scheme. The county council has obstinately operated within very narrow parameters under the guise of health and safety, when their own health and safety assessments are based on a puzzling use of statistics: To claim the town is a high accident area with only one slight accident in the last seven years (between 12 to 4 in August) is nonsense.

So we invite everyone interested in the success or failure of this experiment to fill in a survey. We want to understand the wishes and needs of residents, visitors, businesses and harbour users. With this information we will represent members with clearer authority.

Forms can be collected from the Dainty in Tudor Square. You may have the answer for traffic management and also a pedestrian scheme. As the PCC is only reported to be consulting 'key' organisations and not individuals for any formal consultation we ask you to put pen to paper. Next year will be too late to question or applaud this. Experiments can become permanent.

Do you think that Robespierre was right at the end of the 'Reign of Terror' when he said that 'now is the time for moderation'? A committee passed a decree after hearing his suggestion sending him to his own guillotine for 'the greater good'.

Will the county council carry the benefits of the majority to a predetermined conclusion, that visitors wishes are the majority and their view should be paramount? Or will they now ask the actual people who live, work and feed the local economy all year what they think? You are now the minority. The council have more proposals waiting.

The association welcomes all opinions, any minority interest, disability or not, young or old, and seeks to act on any recommendations. Speak now while you have an opportunity.

Richard Walker,

Chairman,

TWTRA,

2 Rock House,

Tenby.