WE’RE not going to take it anymore!

That is the view of an action group opposed to Cardigan’s revised Covid-19 safe zone who say residents have already endured more than their fair share of ‘traffic chaos’.

The ‘We Say No to Cardigan Town Traffic Diversion’ group have questioned moves to restrict town centre traffic as the Welsh Government look to downgrade restrictions to alert level 3 by May 17.

In strongly-worded letter to Cardigan Town Council, protestors claimed the community had been ‘misled’ by the local authority’s Covid-19 Gold Command.

“If the justification…is to facilitate social distancing, then please consider the scientific fact that the risk of virus transmission is substantially lower outdoors than in,” they said.

“One is far more likely to contract the virus in a shop than out on the street, so it doesn't make much sense to close the High Street yet again...

“It seems that there is no will to seek a compromise…meaning that residents will now have to face another summer of heavy traffic, local traders will suffer and the disabled community now have an obstacle course to contend with.

“As far as the residents on the diversion route are concerned, we feel we have already endured more than our fair share of traffic chaos.

“We have already ‘taken one for the town’ and we're not prepared to take any more.

“Other west Wales towns (eg: Narberth) have managed the Covid crisis without closing major shopping streets, so clearly it can be done.”

Councillors said that while they sympathised, their hands were largely tied.

“This is not in our control and we do not have a say,” said Cllr Yvonne O’Neill. “As to why the county council put these restrictions in we’re still in the middle of a pandemic.”