Call to cut multi-million pound transport interchange scheme in Haverfordwest to be heard next week

A CALL to cut Haverfordwest’s multi-million pound transport interchange scheme to a single storey, using awarded funding elsewhere in the county, will be heard next week.

In a submitted question which will be heard at the October 12 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor Aled Thomas will ask Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change and Deputy Leader of the Council [Cllr Paul Miller] “if he and his Cabinet will immediately write to the Welsh Government asking them to de-restrict the £16.9 million pounds of Welsh Government funding for the Haverfordwest Transport Interchange Scheme”.

Cllr Thomas will ask for an amendment of the business case “to just a ground-level car park and associated modern bus station”.

He asks for the change “so that the funds can be used for other transport capital projects that are desperately needed in Pembrokeshire, such as enhancing the rail network at both Milford and Pembroke Dock stations, as well as the provision of newer, greener buses which would reduce maintenance cost pressures in the revenue budget”.

Back in July, members of the county council’s Cabinet agreed a temporary car park will be sited on the demolished remains of Haverfordwest’s old multi-storey car park until the Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange is built.

The scheme is part of the South West Wales Metro project and aims to enhance access to the town centre.

At the July meeting, Deputy Leader of Council, Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change Cllr Paul Miller told fellow Cabinet members the “big positive” was the full value of grant funding had been secured, with an expected £2m total cost of the project to the council.

He said it was expected some £300,000 a year would be generated from the site.

Referring to the “less good” part of his July report, he said no compliant tender had been received, with an alternative tender method now proposed, which would lead to a six-month delay.

“Instead of leaving that site boarded up I’m proposing we create a temporary car park on that site,” said Cllr Miller, with income from it being ring-fenced for a disruption fund for the town centre.

In late January, councillors heard a doubling of the costs of Haverfordwest’s public transport project to nearly £18m was not fully communicated with the public.