One of Carmarthen’s busiest town centre streets will be shut for around two months due to essential underground work, the council has confirmed. King Street, which is home to several shops and businesses, will be closed off to vehicles from Monday, January 6.
A sign has been placed at the top end of the street next to the entrance for St Peter’s car park alerting residents and businesses to the closure while a temporary prohibition of through traffic order has been posted on the council’s website. For the latest Carmarthenshire news sign up to our newsletter here.
The street is a one-way road which wraps around onto the adjoining Queen Street and out into Spilman Street and is littered with bars and shops including Wetherspoon, Co-op, and several independent businesses. Despite the potential for disruption shops in King Street will remain open as normal throughout the eight-week closure with pedestrian and vehicle access to properties “maintained where possible”.
The council has been asked to confirm further details and have thus far said that “deliveries will be accommodated where possible”. The closure is expected to have an impact on traffic in Spilman Street, parallel to King Street, which is often used as a drop-off point for customers and/or delivery drivers who then access King Street via one of two narrow lanes.
It’s not the first time in recent years that King Street will be predominantly closed off to cars. In 2020 the council decided to pedestrianise the street for the majority of the working day in a bid to provide more space for social distancing in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic before the arrangement was scrapped in September 2021. The topic of closing off King Street to traffic on a permanent basis has long been the subject of debate amongst traders and shoppers in Carmarthen. A consultation was held back in 2016 as some believed a full pedestrianisation of the street would boost trade and encourage more people to walk around the town centre. Those potential plans ultimately did not materialise.
(Image: Carmarthenshire Council)
The upcoming closure is only temporary with the road expected to be fully open again before March. However the council has warned that the disruption could linger beyond that. The order published by Carmarthenshire Council confirming the closure reads: “Notice is hereby given that the Carmarthenshire County Council intend, not less than seven days from the date of this notice, to make an order the effect of which will be to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along the entirety of King Street, Carmarthen.
“Pedestrian and vehicular access to individual properties will be maintained where possible throughout the duration of the closure. All local businesses will be open as usual along King Street and the access to St Peter’s car park will remain unaffected. There will be no alternative route to King Street however deliveries will be accommodated where possible and contact must be made with Wales & West Utilities directly to request delivery access.
“The proposed order will continue in force until works to upgrade gas pipes, carried out by Wales & West Utilities, have been completed. It is intended that the works will commence on January 6 until February 28. Where appropriate temporary road traffic regulation orders may continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months.”
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