A New Quay postmaster removed barriers installed by the council on Monday morning, to allow the elderly to access their pension, after criticising the council’s “ill conceived” pedestrian safe zones.

On Saturday John Barrett, postmaster for New Quay Post Office and proprietor of The Corner Shop, wrote to Ceredigion council to express his concern over the lack of consultation over the new pedestrian safe zones.

Calling the plan “ill-conceived and full of flaws due to lack of consultation, consideration or local knowledge”, John added: “It should be immediately delayed or scrapped until a better one is produced. A plan is needed and measures to protect everyone are welcomed. But this is the wrong plan.”

After receiving no response from the council, when the barriers were installed, John removed them.

He said: “The fact that I had to be vigilante and use civil disobedience to help pensioners get their pensions is ridiculous.”

On Monday, 13 July, pedestrian safe zones were put in place in New Quay, Aberaeron, Aberystwyth, and Cardigan, after little or no consultation with local businesses.

‘Safe zones’ have been created by closing roads and removing on-street parking from 11am to 6pm daily.

John claims he phoned the council on Thursday, 9 July after hearing of possible road closures, but said the council “flatly denied” the rumours.

After phoning on the morning of Friday, 10 July John was told they may be true. It was only on Saturday morning when John read the press release published by the council on Friday afternoon that the plans were confirmed for the following Monday.­

While this is a concern for John’s business, he also raises concerns for the wider community and the accessibility of the town for the elderly, the disabled and those with limited mobility.

After discussions with council workers on site on Monday, John and a PCSO came to an agreement to allow those with blue badges access to the road.

John told the Cambrian News: “I said it’s not enough but that it’s enough for me to walk away for now. But most pensioners don’t have a blue badge.”A spokesperson for Dyfed Powys Police said: "We were called yesterday (Monday) after an individual moved one of the barriers to the pedestrian area. "This was as a result of good intentions, and the situation was resolved without incident by local officers. No crimes were recorded."