Tenby town councillors were 'aghast' this week to learn that Pembrokeshire County Council are still planning to go ahead with an experiment to ban all but emergency vehicles from the walled town during August.
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.
However, speaking to Tenby Town Council on Tuesday, Clr. Mickey Folland revealed that the recommendation of director of highways, Mr. Huw Roberts, to Friday's cabinet meeting of the county council was for the experiment to go ahead.
Reason for the recommendation was "to improve pedestrian safety and the control of traffic and parking in the town centre."
Mr. Roberts is also proposing that the county council press ahead with plans to make White Lion Street one-way from the sea to South Parade to draw traffic away from the walled town.
To alleviate the fears of the emergency services about the difficulties this could present in entering the walled town, Mr. Roberts also proposes that an "emergency vehicle path be allocated and kept clear," allowing such vehicles to travel against the one-way flow.
Proposals to reverse the flow of traffic up St. John's Hill should, Mr. Roberts suggests, be put on hold for the time being to assess the impact of making White Lion Street one-way.
Also before the cabinet will be proposals for the control of parking in the Tenby harbour area, including the introduction of a residents parking scheme.
"Clr. Michael Williams and I are going to meet with Mr. Roberts on Thursday afternoon to discuss the proposals," Clr. Folland commented.
"I personally need to be assured that everything is in place to cause minimum disruption.
"There are so many restrictions on vehicles entering the walled town that I am worried that the emergency services, like the RNLI, will be delayed and this needs to be clarified.
"I am also concerned that Mr. Roberts has admitted to me that the county council do not know how they will police the restrictions yet.
"If it will involve a uniformed police officer standing on White Lion Corner for four hours a day, seven days a week, then the costs are going to be very high.
"I also think that better signage for the scheme is needed, rather than just a 'road closed' sign like the last experiment. That sent out the wrong messages.
"Most of all, however, I feel that he needs to be convinced not to go ahead with this piecemeal. Any type of pedestrianisation needs all the infrastructure sorted out first."
Clr. Stuart Fecci was 'aghast' that the proposal was coming before cabinet.
"Tenby Town Council don't want this, the traders don't want this and Tenby 2020 don't want this," he claimed.
"How many times do we have to say to the county council that we don't want this. How many more times do we have to suffer these experiments.
"They do not work. The last time there was an experiment, some traders experienced a 30 per cent drop in trade, and I am afraid that closing the town off during the height of the summer could put some of them in a very precarious position.
"Why can't they see we want status quo!"
"Will the county council compensate traders for loss of business like they did during foot and mouth?" asked Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas. "When they are trying to bring this in again, one really has to question the sanity of the county council!"
Clr. Trevor Hallett commented that most of the local organisations felt that pedestrianisation in any form required proper infrastructure and signage to car parks.
"The county council needs to listen to the people who are paying their wages, that is the ratepayers," he said.
The Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown, commented that Mr. Roberts would be attending Tenby 2020's annual meeting at Greenhill the night before the cabinet meeting.
"We need to make sure he is aware of the strength of feeling over this proposal."