LARGE areas of Haverfordwest town centre will become off-limits to cars if major pedestrianisation plans get the go-ahead.

The town's main artery, High Street, is one of several areas earmarked to become no-go areas for vehicles in the plans which will be discussed by the county council cabinet on Monday.

Included in the plans, which would take several years to implement, are: Pedestrianisation of Victoria Place, Picton Place, High Street, Market Street, part of Quay Street, Bridge Street, Dark Street and St Mary's Street.

A new one-way road link between the bottom of Barn Street and Dew Street - to be created using land acquired from the Hotel Mariners and the demolition of Haverfordwest swimming pool, following the building of a new leisure centre.

Traffic lights on the busy Safeway, Merlins Bridge and Horsefair roundabouts.

A new, traffic light-controlled roundabout on the junction between Old Hakin Road and Milford Road near the foot of Dredgeman's Hill.

To compensate for the loss of town centre car parking, the report - by director of development Roger Barrett-Evans - looks at adding additional tiers to Castle Lake Car Park, creating extra spaces near the railway station and mart sites and increasing parking behind the town library. But the plans have been met with amazement by local county councillor, Tom Tudor.

He told the Mercury: "I welcome the long awaited Haverfordwest Traffic and Parking Study which will be discussed at the cabinet meeting on Monday. I am however extremely disappointed concerning the aspect of pedestrianisation of a major part of the town.

"Under no circumstance have I suggested or advocated the pedestrianisation of any aspect of Haverfordwest, and was quite amazed to see the suggestion which is to be put before cabinet."

Cllr Tudor added: "I have for a long time been pressing the authority for a meeting with all Haverfordwest county councillors with regard to the transportation strategy, and one would have hoped that such a meeting should have taken place before anything had been put before the cabinet or for public consultation.

"At the recent meeting of county councillors, council officers and Haverfordwest Town Council I am led to believe that there was no mention of pedestrianisation of the main artery of the town, namely High Street."

Steve Hopkins, chairman of Haverfordwest Top Town Traders, said he was also unaware that plans had reached such an advanced stage, but added: "Having had a brief discussion with a few of the traders we would welcome the reverse of the flow of traffic on Shipmans Lane to make the top of town more accessible but there are reservations about some of the areas for pedestrianisation.

"There will certainly need to be a lot more discussion about these plans over the coming months."

The aims of the scheme are to "enhance the town centre, improve traffic flow by reducing delay, open up opportunities for development, improve pedestrian facilities, maintain highway safety."

The report adds: "These often potentially inconsistent aims are married through the proposed High Street area, traffic management and signal control of major junctions coupled with the provision of improved parking arrangements."

The report recommends that the proposals now go out to public consultation.