A total of 68 people attended Tenby Walled Town Residents Association's open meeting held to decide on the association's next move following the publication of permanent order to pedestrianise the walled town. Those present at the meeting on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to object to the order as it was considered that the access that residents would be allowed was too restrictive. The association and all the speakers at the meeting were in one mind that they were not against pedestrianisation and considered that the association should continue to press for unrestricted access for residents. It was hoped this action would force the council to amend its order and so avoid the requirement for it to hold a public inquiry. Chairman Richard Walker told the meeting that he considered that the association had been forced into submitting this objection by the failure of the council to listen to what it had been told and to uphold its undertaking to negotiate with the community group most directly affected. "There have been lots of meetings and promises made in the past but nothing has happened." he said. "Those present at the meeting felt that it was unreasonable to expect residents to be denied free access to their homes for seven days a week, six hours of the working day, during July and August." The association members present also voted to retain the services of their traffic consultant, Allan Mendelsohn, to represent their views and to act on their behalf. Following the meeting, Mr. Walker said that everyone in Tenby had had the opportunity to object following the publication of the order to pedestrianise the town if they were not happy with how things operated in 2004. "The county council has set the clock ticking," he said. "The closing date being Monday for all objections that should be sent, together with the reasons for the objection, to the director of transport and environment, Pembrokeshire County Council, County Hall, Haverfordwest."
