Councillor pushes long‑term fix for Tenby road floods
Pembrokeshire councillor seeks a coordinated plan with Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government to end chronic flooding on the B4318, following a 3,500‑signature petition.
Pembrokeshire County Council will debate a motion on 15 October that seeks a long‑term solution to chronic flooding on the B4318 at Gumfreston, the main approach road into Tenby.
The 2‑mile stretch of the B4318, which runs between St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty, has become synonymous with water‑logged conditions each winter and often during heavy rain in summer.
Local residents report that the road is regularly submerged, forcing traffic onto the narrow Devonshire Drive and surrounding streets.
Emergency services, school buses and delivery vehicles have all been delayed, prompting concerns over safety and the impact on the town’s tourism‑driven economy.
Councillor Rhys Jordan, who represents St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty, described the B4318 as “probably the most closed road in the county”.
He added that the existing flood‑warning signs “don’t like operating when its wet”, highlighting the unreliability of current alerts.
Earlier this year the councillor launched a petition urging the Welsh Government to fund a permanent flood‑mitigation scheme, which quickly amassed roughly 3,500 signatures from locals and visitors.
The petition’s momentum has been channelled into a formal motion that will be tabled at the full council meeting, urging Pembrokeshire Council, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government to collaborate on a sustainable answer.
The three‑point appeal asks the council’s cabinet to consider how to progress a long‑term solution after the completion of feasibility work, to improve the resilience of Devonshire Drive as a diversion route, and to deliver interim road upgrades within three months of the motion’s approval.
Natural Resources Wales has confirmed that it will carry out further feasibility and options work in 2026, a timeline that the motion seeks to embed within council planning.
Councillor Jordan stresses that the council must acknowledge its shared responsibility with NRW and the Welsh Government in securing funding and delivering the necessary infrastructure.
Repeated closures of the B4318 have forced traffic onto Devonshire Drive, increasing wear on that road and creating bottlenecks that affect local commuters and visitors alike.
The upcoming cabinet discussion will examine whether additional drainage, raised carriageways or alternative routing can be implemented to alleviate the pressure on the diversion network.
Tenby’s economy, heavily reliant on summer visitors, suffers when access routes are compromised, a factor that underpins the urgency of the councillor’s appeal.
With the motion set for a vote on 15 October, council members will decide whether to endorse the three‑point plan and commit to a coordinated approach with NRW and the Welsh Government.