Any residents parking scheme within Tenby's walled town should only take up half the available parking spaces in the area, members of the town council agreed this week.
Any permits allocated should also only allow parking on streets where the residents live and not be eligible for any permit parking spaces within the walled town, they further agreed.
In January, the council gave their backing to plans to introduce residents only parking into designated areas of the walled town following a suggestion from the Walled Town Residents Association (TWTRA) who feel that it could control the amount of traffic entering by reducing the amount of perceived parking available.
They also proposed that the only exception be Tudor Square, where they suggest there could be limited waiting based on a voucher or other payment system, and that any on-street parking should be made available to any resident within the walled town who buys a permit.
This would be irrespective of whether the address of the resident was different from the street where the parking was available, while they also suggested making space available in the multi-storey car park as an overflow.
At the time, councillors resolved to support the ideas of the TWTRA with the exception of their ideas for Tudor Square.
However, at a meeting earlier this month, Mr. Barrie Davies, the county council's head of infrastructure management, felt that the council had not fully explained their position on the proposal which, if in line with TWTRA's suggestion, would mean that all roadside spaces in the town be converted to residents only spaces - leaving none for those residents who do not purchase a permit or other motorists - and that any resident of any street within the area would be eligible to park with a permit irrespective of whether they were a resident of the street where the spaces were designated.
Clr. Mickey Folland expressed his concerns over the implications of this and as the council had already passed a resolution, tabled a notice of motion to allow the matter to be re-opened for debate on Tuesday night.
He felt that the permit should be limited to residents of the particular streets where the spaces were available, which he felt would help cut down on people cruising around, but Clr. Trevor Hallett was concerned that some streets within the walled town lent themselves to permit parking schemes more easily than others.
"There may be some streets with a lot of holiday lets or residential properties where it may only be possible to create two spaces, which could cause problems," he commented.
Clr. Mrs. Maureen Ward agreed that it would be unlikely that enough spaces would be created to meet residents' demand.
Clr. Mickey Folland pointed out that residents parking schemes were only introduced at the request of residents.
There were other schemes, both in Tenby and elsewhere in the county, which were working without difficulty.
Clr. Hallett, however, felt that permit parking within the walled town was 'new ground', adding that most of the other schemes in place were away from the main tourist areas.
"Within the walled town you have a lot more residences, as so many places have been turned into flats," he pointed out.
Clr. Folland replied that permits could be issued on the basis of one per dwelling and it could be possible to increase the number of spaces should there be a greater demand.
The Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown, reiterated that at present only half the available parking was made available in any particular area for permit holders, with the remainder being for those residents who did not wish to buy permits and other motorists.
Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas pointed out that the TWTRA idea had been to discourage people from coming into the walled town looking for parking spaces, but Clr. Mrs. Kerri Durham felt that you would still get residents cruising around looking for spaces under any of the proposed ideas.
Councillors agreed to support residents parking on the proviso that only those eligible for permits would be residents of the streets where the spaces were provided and that only half the available parking space be allocated for permit parking.
They also gave their backing to the introduction of residents parking schemes in Culver Park, Picton Road and Warren Street.