A TOWN councillor has branded consultations as a farce and a waste of public money. Cllr Rod Kennedy told members of Royston Town Council s general purposes and highways committee on Monday evening: Thousands of pounds have been spent on consultation a

A TOWN councillor has branded consultations as a "farce" and a waste of public money.

Cllr Rod Kennedy told members of Royston Town Council's general purposes and highways committee on Monday evening: "Thousands of pounds have been spent on consultation and studies and we have got nowhere."

His criticism came in a discussion over the introduction of a weight limit to ban heavy vehicles in Melbourn Street, Royston.

Town councillors have been involved in a long-running campaign to have a heavy lorries ban imposed in a bid to protect the Royston cave.

Cllr Kennedy said: "There is no need for heavy vehicles to be using Melbourn Street unless there is a need for access."

He claimed, too, that in recent months there had been an increase in heavy vehicles using Melbourn Street.

He said it was "bewildering" that it had become so difficult to have a weight limit imposed.

"There have been studies which have turned out to be a farce and are just wasting public money," he said.

Cllr Elizabeth Beardwell said that the whole idea of the current town centre strategy was to have less traffic and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

This, she said, could be done by making improvements in Melbourn Street which could be part of the town centre strategy.

Cllr Peter Burt said he believed that creating a pedestrian-friendly environment could be "viable".

The committee will be contacting North Herts District Council with the suggestions to create a pedestrian-friendly environment.

Town councillors were on Wednesday due to be given a briefing on the consultants' reports on the town centre strategy and a parking strategy for the town centre.

The reports are expected to be discussed by members of the district council's Royston area committee next month.