At their recent monthly meeting, members of Saundersfoot Community Council received a comprehensive report from local Police Inspector Les Clark on various policing matters in the village area.

Afterwards, chairman, Clr. Mrs. Rosemary Hayes, thanked Inspector Clark and asked questions from members.

Clr. Baker said that whilst canvassing for the Welsh Assembly elections, the two main concerns highlighted were speeding and anti-social behaviour, and he asked if 20 mph limits could be introduced in the village?

Mr. John Price, of Pembrokeshire County Council, who was also present, replied and said that introduction of 20 mph limits was up to the county council and only effective if the current speeds were approx 24-25 mph.

Clr. Baker added that the two main areas of concern were Rushy Lake and the Ridgeway and hoped that the county council would consider introducing 20 mph limits in the village.

He also said that it would be nice to see more police presence in the village and that in itself was a deterrent.

Clr. Baker then expressed his concern at communication problems being experienced when telephoning Tenby Police Station and asked if anything could be done to improve the situation.

Inspector Clark said that if an officer was stationed in the police station to answer calls, that would mean one less officer on the beat and suggested that an option would be to dial 999. He said that if the switchboard was not manned in Tenby calls were transferred to Haverfordwest.

He added that response times were 96 per cent within 20 minutes and that was an excellent record. He also confirmed that if the telephone line to Tenby was engaged, it would continue ringing and would not divert to Haverfordwest.

Clr. Brabon also complained about speeding taxis and said that a 20 mph limit would be ideal for Saundersfoot.

VISITORS SHOCKED

With regard to illegal parking, he said the visitors were shocked at how cars were able to park on double yellow lines without being prosecuted.

Inspector Clark stated that this parking did in fact slow traffic down.

Clr. Poole said that traffic built up quickly especially due to tailbacks at the roundabout at the Harbour entrance.

Clr. Brabon said that following a meeting with Pembrokeshire County Council some time ago, members requested that a boxed section be installed at the roundabout and that the centre line be moved approximately two-foot to the right. This work had never been carried out, but this improvement would certainly improve the flow of traffic through the village.

Clr. Brabon also asked who enforced the restriction of lorries entering the village.

Inspector Clark said the police would be responsible for this, but they had received no calls at all about lorries entering Saundersfoot during restrictive hours.

Chairman Hayes said that the population of Saundersfoot was larger than Narberth and asked why a traffic warden was not on duty in Saundersfoot?

Inspector Clark said that Tenby and Saundersfoot were treated as one unit and a traffic warden did visit Saundersfoot periodically.

Clr. Talbot said that there used to be a police car parked near the Harbour entrance during weekends and this acted as a deterrent, and also an officer could be contacted more quickly. Unfortunately, this did not happen any more and asked why?

Inspector Clark said he was not aware of this, but would look into it.

Clr. Cleevely said he had been a councillor for many years and had never received so many complaints as now and suggested that prevention of crime was part of police work. He felt that the presence of police in the village would prevent anti-social incidents taking place.

Clr. Talbot agreed and said she had witnessed youngsters throwing chips to seagulls by the Arcade, deliberately causing cars to veer to avoid them, and asked how far could she or any other member of the public go in reprimanding these youngsters?

Inspector Clark advised Clr. Talbot not to speak to them at all, but inform the police.

Clr. John said he had witnessed four police cars, including six to eight policemen, in a lay-by between Penblewin to St. Clears recently and indicated that there did seem to be policemen available.

Inspector Clark said he was not aware of this and said that a traffic census could possibly have been taking place there.

Chairman Hayes then read out a letter from the Saundersfoot Forum raising various issues.

Enforcement of restrictions

Inspector Clark asked if the council would like to prosecute every motorist parked on a double yellow line?

Clr. Brabon said that he would not encourage that approach and Clr. Cavell said that if a traffic warden was on duty it would deter motorists from parking on double yellow lines.

Clr. Brabon again expressed his concern at excessive speeding on Stammers Road and said that 30 mph signs could not be placed there due to street lighting and asked whether calming measures could be considered?

Mr. Price said that traffic calming measures would prove to be too noisy for residents living there and present law did not allow for 30 mph signs to be erected there.

Clr. Cavell then highlighted the problems on the Ridgeway and said that speed limits meant nothing to motorists and speed checks taken there were in the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Inspector Clark said that the Police and Pembrokeshire County Council were only allowed to respond to areas where the accident record was bad and the Ridgeway was not regarded as an accident blackspot.

Clr. Brabon asked if speed checks were carried out on the Ridgeway and Stammers Road and if speeds were found to be excessive what could be done?

Mr. Price said that the county council had the powers to install traffic calming measures, but would have to investigate each request and would have to prioritise, and this would depend on accident records.

Chairman Hayes then raised the problem of excessive traffic using Valley Road due to tailbacks at the Fountain Head junction and asked if the county council could look into this problem?

Mr. Price said that traffic lights would not improve the situation, but added that the improvement had helped the flow of traffic there.

Mr. Price said he would investigate if any improvements could take place in Valley Road and would also look into the obstruction taking place outside the Apple Tree Gallery at the junction of the Ridgeway and Westfield Road.

Clr. Brabon said that when letters were sent to Pembrokeshire County Council requesting that improvement works be carried out, members got frustrated when reasons were not given why this work was not carried out.

Mr. Price said that he would in future give specific reasons why requests were not adhered to.

QUESTIONS FROM

THE PUBLIC

Chairman Hayes then asked if any member of the public would like to question Inspector Clarke?

Mr. Ted Sheppard asked Inspector Clark if he was aware that taxis operated a one-way system on Stammers Road on Friday and Saturday nights between approximately 9.30 pm and 3 am?

Inspector Clark said that he was not aware of this and would look into it.

Mr. Sheppard also asked if 30 mph reactive flashing signs could be erected in Stammers Road as this would certainly alert motorists of the speed limit?

Mr. Price said that any incident of speeding taxis should be reported to the licensing department of the county council who administer taxi licenses.

Mr. Sheppard asked if residents could be given speed guns to carry out spot checks as this had proved to be successful in other areas? He also reported that skateboarders were sitting on their skateboards coming down Stammers Road at great speed and someone would be hurt one day.

Mrs. Ann Jones said that youngsters racing around Saundersfoot in their cars were not connected at all with the Sands Club.

Inspector Clark said that if they could be identified he would speak to them.

He added he would look into all the problems raised and report back to the council.