Speaker after speaker at last Friday's crucial meeting with Pembrokeshire County Council for 'interested parties' to discuss the August traffic experiment, supported the view that the needs and rights of the Walled Town residents, harbour users and Caldey, should be addressed in any future schemes.

Representatives from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the Sailing Club, the Town Council, the Commercial Rate Payers Association, the Caldey Estate, Tenby Civic Society, as well as County Councillor Mickey Folland, all recognised that those living and working within the Walled Town should not be denied access.

Even PCC's head of transport and environment acknowledged that the Walled Town residents were a 'special group' along with carers, meals on wheels and visiting medical staff.

The only dissenting 'interested party' was Tenby 2020, whose chairman Mike Thorne felt residents should "temper their rights in such a special environment."

TWTRA vice chairman, Alistair Mackay, commented: "The PCC officials present went back to County Hall with a clear message from these 'interested parties' - that the needs of the residents and businesses sensitive to passing trade cannot be ignored.

"We were disappointed that PCC couldn't supply us with their survey results before the meeting and that they could only release limited analysis at the meeting. Naturally we'll be looking at this information very closely when it is forthcoming, since we still haven't had any details of the criteria for the 'success' of the scheme.

"Since PCC's officers plan to submit their recommendations to the Cabinet early next month, we hope, within the next three weeks, to supply them with a positive plan for next year that will include pedestrianisation, but also alleviate almost all of the problems we suffered this year. The plan could easily serve as a blueprint for a scheme to operate for longer periods."