Walk on (From Penarth Times)

Walk on

A RECENT letter by Dave Moorcraft raised key questions about pedestrianisation.

Importantly, he asks if the traders had any warning of the changes. In December last year the Chamber of Trade called a meeting specifically to discuss the proposals.

The fact that only one representative attended probably indicated that the Chamber had really ceased to function. However, the Town Manager afterwards spoke to all the traders individually.

Your reader also asks whether large delivery lorries can get round the system. The answer is yes, they can.

The Vale Highways Department established that a massive pantechnicon could accomplish the trickiest turn, which is from Glebe Street into Ludlow Street.

The entire Town Council and all the Penarth representatives on the Vale Council were originally in favour of the scheme. Then, in May, party politics came into the equation and two or three changed their minds.

On traffic and parking, Mr Moorcraft has some good ideas, but at the moment, gains and losses of parking space are roughly equal.

His final point - that we should be willing to embrace changes - is highly significant. For the moment, a little space has been reserved in central Penarth for pedestrians rather than traffic.

It is up to us, then, to make the best use of the opportunity, both commercially and recreationally, and do everything possible to make the scheme work.

W G Robertson (Chairman, Penarth Society) Clive Place Penarth