PLANS for an experimental traffic order to take place in Bridgend town centre will go back to the council’s cabinet after they were called in by a number of independent members.
The proposed order would see an extension of loading and unloading hours in a number of streets in the town centre including Queen Street, Dunraven Place, and Market Street.
These are currently closed to traffic between the hours of 6pm and 10am with bollards blocking access to pedestrianised parts of the town since 2004.
It would also see cyclists allowed within the pedestrianised zone with the existing and “underused” taxi bays in Derwen Road set to be converted to blue badge parking spaces.
The proposal to test the steps for a period of 18 months was approved by cabinet members in September 2025 after a decade worth of calls from local shop owners who asked for some town centre roads to be open on a permanent basis to improve footfall.
However members of Bridgend Council’s independent group called for the decision to be taken back to cabinet as they felt it was not what residents had been asking for with the steps not properly scrutinised.
Speaking at a scrutiny meeting some questioned what difference the experimental order would actually make to the town as despite loading and unloading times being extended cars would still not be allowed to park in the streets.
Others raised concerns over plans to re-introduce cycling to the town centre with no further details on how it would look with potential bike lanes or other controls being put in place.
Addressing the chamber Cllr Steven Bletsoe said the longstanding issue was one the authority needed to get right, adding the trial was not what residents or traders had been asking for.
He said: “The extension of the time that the barrier is down and not stopping traffic going in to town doesn’t actually change anything in reality in our town centre.
“The parking restrictions in Bridgend town centre are loading and unloading only. You cannot park in Bridgend town centre and go into a shop.”
He added: “It does not increase accessibility for those who are craving it.”
Cllr Tim Wood said while he acknowledged it wouldn’t solve all the problems there were many shops crying out for the roads to be opened with further action needed straightaway.
Cllr Owain Clatworthy asked why the trial had to be carried out over a period of 18 months as opposed to a year or six months.
In response officers said there had to be an 18-month order in place by law to help determine what levels of traffic could be safely reintroduced to the town.
They noted the council would have powers to make changes during that time with potential to introduce more vehicles and parking as it progressed.
It was also made clear that in order to reintroduce traffic they would have to reinstate roads and pavements with an estimated cost of around £2m.
Cllr Neelo Farr who is cabinet member for regeneration, economic development, and housing said there were valid points made in the call-in and she would be happy to take them back for further discussion.
Cllr Heidi Bennett said she too supported the move and would like to see more work done to look at equality of access for blue badge holders and how the authority could make sure people could park.
Following debate the plans for the experimental traffic order were sent back to cabinet with a vote of eight members to two asking for more evidence to justify the decisions that were made along with more detailed reports.
