TRAFFIC safety regulations imposed on a high street are "a dangerous mess," said local business owners.

Fears have been raised about health and safety on Holywell High Street since it was de-pedestrianised – the first time the street has been open to traffic in 25 years.

Flintshire Council launched the six month trial period on May 8, which included traffic regulations such as double-yellow lines and a limited number of parking bays, which the council said will be monitored and policed throughout the day.

The traffic scheme intends to encourage short-stay parking and safer pedestrian zones, to increase much-needed footfall in the town centre.

Businesses are sceptical, however, of how effective these temporary regulations will be, and said they are furious about the council’s disregard for their businesses.

Two taxi firms, Holywell Cars and Corbett Cars, as well as Kassidy’s Tea Rooms, have expressed concern over the "ridiculous" measures in place.

These businesses have noted that pick-up and drop off points have now been removed outside other premises, such as the Post Office and Santander branch, making it impossible for delivery drivers to park in close proximity like before.

Linda Corbett, owner of Corbett Cars with husband Chris Corbett, said these traffic regulations are "taking trade away from us" as they can no longer park outside the pubs on the High Street waiting for customers. She said: "We can't pick up customers from town anymore. Everyone supports the scheme being done, but it should be done more around customer needs. This is making things worse.

"It's as though they have done it deliberately to cause an inconvenience. This trial period will destroy things. Six months is a long time."

Wendy Davies, of Holywell Cars in the middle of the High Street, said she was surprised to find a bus stop outside her business when she woke up on Tuesday morning.

Mrs Corbett and Mrs Davies said they were not made aware of which changes would occur, and were shocked at the lack of signs informing people about the traffic rules and parking times.

Both firms have also been struck by the current ban on parking outside their taxi businesses, which was acceptable before the traffic regulations.

Mrs Davies said: "It's betrayal what the council has done. We have a 93-year-old customer who we pick up every week and drop off in the High Street, and wait for her to do her shopping. We can't help her anymore."

Emma Candlish, of Holywell Cars, believes the yellow lines are a recipe for disaster as there is less room for cars to drive and for people to safely walk: "The street hasn't shrunk, yet it's covered in yellow lines."

Mike Owen, a local resident, said the council has displayed "a fundamental failure as to what needs to be done to help the town." He added that the solution provided is "damaging" to businesses, and that children are at risk as it is not clear to them which areas are safe.

He said: "The danger of making the High Street a no-go zone will just make people go away. It's a missed opportunity and it's a shame they made such a mess. They should take away the yellow lines and just make parking bays.

Simon Nicholls, owner of Kassidy's, said business this year has been "the worst in 13 years since opening" and the unlawful parking and driving the wrong way up the one way has caused "near misses with death."

Mr Nicholls said this "chaotic" driving and parking system has caused a 25 per cent decline in revenue since last year, and felt "delight and optimism" when he saw workers painting lines on the street.

He added: "That week business picked up, with a lot of people trying to park correctly and safely. But when people began to notice the council and the police were not enforcing the law people began parking wherever they liked.

"I contacted Flintshire about this, and they said enforcement officers would be on site from Friday (May 11) to enforce the law. I took photos [that] weekend proving no enforcement officers have shown their face in town.

"One photo shows a car parked on yellow lines, which has not moved for three days. The second shows a car who's owner moved the cones so they could park on the path.

"The third shows a car that has driven the wrong way down the High Street, parked facing the wrong way down the road every day, all day.

"None of these vehicles have been booked, fined or even warned for parking like they have.

"I think this is the best chance for the high street to survive, it will give people a chance to call into town, shop and move on, safely, in an orderly and organised fashion.

"If only the town and county councils abide by their word and police the streets properly, and enforcement officers are visible and active on the High Street, and a police presence is seen stopping people driving the wrong way down the high street, it will work - all of which is not happening at present."

Russ Warburton, head of Holywell Business Group who was pushing for de-pedestrianisation, defended the scheme. He said: "At the end of the day, it's only a temporary measure. The bus stop is only a community bus stop which will come once or twice a week.

"It wasn't a shock to businesses because it was announced before. Cars are not supposed to be parked here anyway - the barriers have been broken for six months, and we're lucky no one has been hurt. This is the only way to do it, and if it doesn't work it will go back to a pedestrianised road."

Steve Jones, chief officer for Streetscene and Transportation said: "Prior to the implementation of the pilot de-pedestrianisation scheme which has been supported by the town council and local businesses, enforcement could only be carried out by North Wales Police.

"The introduction of formal traffic orders (in conjunction with the pilot scheme) allows the council's own enforcement team to enforce against illegal parking. The enforcement team have patrolled the area during the first week of the pilot, advising motorists that inappropriate parking may result in the serving of fixed penalty notices, however this period has now ended and motorists will be issued with a penalty if they are witnessed contravening the new parking orders along the High Street."