A Tenby resident has called for Pembrokeshire County Council to scrap controversial plans for an experiment to ban all but emergency vehicles from the walled town during August. Instead he has urged that a proper consultation exercise be carried out with residents before any action is taken.
The proposal to restrict access into the walled town between 12 noon and 4 pm from August 3 to 31 sparked outcry amongst traders and other organisations earlier this year, with most feeling that any form of pedestrianisation of the town would be unworkable unless suitable arrangements were made for visitor parking and deliveries.
The cabinet of the county council gave the proposal the green light last Friday, but local resident, Mr. Richard Walker, of Lexden Terrace, questions the operation of the scheme and its implementation.
In a letter to Mr. Huw Roberts, director of transport and environment at County Hall, Mr. Walker claimed that the decision was flawed as "not enough consultation has been done" in relation to the scheme.
"There have been limited approaches to established organisations and pressure groups, but never the residents," he wrote.
"If an estimated 700 people live within the town walls, do you know how many are car owners and would they want access, or under what emergency circumstances would they be entitled to access?" he asked.
"Who will be in the front line deciding access? No one can tell me. What answers has the limited consultation found to warrant the total ban to residents?"
Mr. Walker pointed out that he was self-employed and had his own parking space within the walled town, but had "no idea as to how to deal with personal needs and emergencies" during the experiment.
He explained that he had a 92-year-old mother-in-law recovering from a fall, who lived outside the walled town. She needed a stick to walk and care on a daily basis.
"Will she be denied transport to our house if needed between 12 noon and 4 pm?" he asked.
"My wife is a freelance make-up artist who works erratic and anti-social hours with a car load of equipment that would deteriorate and perish if not stored or transported correctly - will she be allowed home after working changing shifts to sleep and store her work equipment?
"My children have timed events to go to - do we have to leave and eat early for later commitments or leave and eat late for early commitments, often with the added cost of childcare on an hourly basis?
"I am self-employed and have to catch public transport at short notice, carrying heavy bags - will my wife be able to take me to the appropriate station?
"How can we arrange external deliveries from couriers? Will there be a communal drop off point?"
Mr. Walker wondered if residents were now to make "piece-meal petitions of mitigating circumstances" in the hope that the county council would allow their appeal "with no reference to our civil right to enjoy our own property, which includes the access to it."
Mr. Walker claimed that Mr. John Price, of the council's planning department, had told him that the prime aim of the scheme was to make a pedestrian zone.
"If it is also to improve the amenity of Tenby itself, then I am in favour of improvement, but not at the expense of the denial of a fair representation with its residents," he wrote.
"If it is also to improve road safety, then where are the facts as to road traffic accidents in the town over the last five years? Reliance and weight given to anecdotal evidence seems amazingly undemocratic: will children be less likely to be injured by a vehicle outside the restricted hours?"
Mr. Walker recognised from a traffic management point of view that there was a need to sort out the summer intake of traffic.
"However, to ignore the needs and opinions of residents within the area is not good practice," he claimed.
"The Road Traffic Act of 1984 sets out the requirements of the council regarding statutory notice, which is all they are legally obliged to do on a formal basis.
"Most council departments recognise this to be too short and does not work so they refer to 'Transport in the Urban Environment' which advocates, in chapter 10, consultation with residents and resident associations as well as the emergency services and local organisations such as Tenby 2020 and the Chamber of Commerce."
Mr. Walker admitted that it was only as guidance and was not binding, but added that it did stress the importance of informal consultation depending on the scale of the proposals and if it did affect a large number of residents.
"Informal does not mean no consultation," he stressed.
Mr. Walker maintained a shared flat in London through his work and outlined his recent experiences with Islington Council when they consulted on the new Arsenal ground and match day parking restrictions.
"There were leaflet drops to every affected resident preceding the proposals which resulted in a design drawn from the wide ranging feedback," he pointed out.
This led to a second consultation exercise with leaflets, exhibitions and drop-in sessions, leading to minor adjustments before the plan was submitted to the council for approval.
"This was an example of good practice and a valuable exercise," he wrote. "There is now restricted parking on match days, but no restrictions for access to residents."
Mr. Walker revealed that a leaflet drop for Tenby had been planned now the decision had been passed by the county council.
"I am informed that the debate to restrict vehicles has been simmering for a few years and this should have been flagged up to officials.
"A wide ranging, diverse and thorough consultation was obviously required rather than a unilateral decision made by committee," he continued. "A total ban for residents seems heavy handed accepting that other pedestrian areas in airports, Disneyland and other coastal resorts allow vehicle access.
"As to how holidaymakers collect keys for let properties, marriages and funerals taking place within the time restrictions without transport (especially on a wet day) I will leave for some concerned party to object.
"If the objective of this experimental scheme were to improve the amenity then it would help to ask the residents, as they know the area.
"There is enough legislation already to apply the existing delivery and access restrictions, but more finance should go first to support local enforcement officers to be able to realise them," he stressed.
"The onus is on the council to consult residents, especially regarding the affect it will have on their lives. Please give me an explanation why the residents were not asked and how the council plans to remedy this," he concluded.
Mr. Walker also told the Observer that it was his belief that emergency road orders required 21 days notice, but experimental orders, such as the walled town proposal, required six months notification.
He admitted that his work took him away from the area at times, but as far as he was aware there had been no mention of this scheme until in recent weeks.
Mr. Walker also pointed out that, while the county council had consulted with the Chamber of Trade, not all town centre businesses were members of the chamber and had their own right of reply too, which he believed they had not been given.
"As I believe it to be the case now it has been passed, we have 21 days to object and lodge individual claims as to why you should be considered for dispensation, to allow access," he explained.
"I feel the whole experiment proposal has been poorly managed by the county council and I would like some answers from Mr. Roberts."