The publication of a study which looked at pedestrianising Aberystwyth town centre is to be delayed until after the Senedd election.

The Prosiect Aber pedestrianisation feasibility study was first commissioned in 2024 at a cost of around £60,000 to investigate whether banning cars from Aberystwyth town centre is a “realistic possibility.”

At its March meeting, Aberystwyth Town Council decided to delay the publication of the feasibility study until after the Senedd Elections on 7 May.

The proposal to postpone the publication was made by Cllr Dylan Lewis-Rowlands and seconded by Cllr Brian Davies.

The meeting was also told by Cllr Lewis-Rowlands that he had met with Jennifer Wolowic of Aberystwyth University, who expressed a willingness to continue collaborating with the Town Council.

This included holding public meetings, reporting back to stakeholders, and maintaining discussions with multiple partner organisations to ensure momentum is sustained.

Prosiect Aber, led by the town council, Aberystwyth Business Club and Menter Aberystwyth, launched the feasibility study in April 2024 looking at “pedestrianisation scoping and feasibility report” for the town.

“This project is about understanding if and how pedestrian areas could work in Aberystwyth,” the group said at the time.

“We’re commissioning a report to see if this is a good idea and how it might be done.”

Moves to pedestrianise Aberystwyth were mooted following the extensive changes during the coronavirus pandemic to create ‘safe-zones’ which saw new one-way systems installed and widened pavements to promote outside space.

A host of those changes were made permanent last year.

Correspondence received on those changes during consultations – both for and against – said the changes would be a “first step” towards pedestrianisation of Aberystwyth town centre.

At the time Ceredigion County Council said that “is an aspiration to work closely with the town council regarding Place Plans to provide permanent enhancement of measures that assist personal mobility and encourage Active and Sustainable Travel,” which would likely include pedestrianisation.

Pedestrianisation of Aberystwyth town centre was also a central plank of a Ceredigion County Council document released in 2022 to create ‘green corridors’ in the town as part of a strategy to ‘greening’ Ceredigion’s six major towns.

In tender documents released in March 2024, Prosiect Aber, funded by the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund and administered by Cynnal y Cardi at Ceredigion County Council, said it would spend up to £60,000 on the study.

“We are seeking an independent investigation and report on whether pedestrianisation would be beneficial to Aberystwyth town centre,” the group said.

“As a Partnership we have no views either way and are simply seeking an objective and neutral impact assessment.

“Questions include, but are not limited to, is pedestrianisation a realistic possibility for Aberystwyth? “What would be the economic, social and environmental benefits of pedestrianisation (if any)?

“What are the projected negative impacts of pedestrianisation in Aberystwyth?

“Would partial pedestrianisation, pedestrian focus or pedestrian priority be good options for the town, and if so, where?

“If a phased approach to pedestrianisation is a workable option for the town please provide examples of quick wins, medium and long term projects.”