A TRAFFIC-free Weymouth harbourside is again being mooted as ways to improve and enhance the quayside are considered.

Pedestrianising Custom House Quay and Trinity Road is among the recommendations for improvement in a report by consultants to guide the future of Weymouth Harbour.

No decisions have been made by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council – and a councillor has warned there must be consultation with harbour users before any proposal is put forward.

Dorset County Council would also be involved as highways authority.

The idea is among those contained in the Fisher Report drawn up by consultants employed by the council to review the harbour and come up with a long-term strategy.

This was thought essential with the Pavilion peninsula being redeveloped.

The strategy is to help the harbour become a tourism hotspot while also enabling the commercial fishing, sea angling and marine leisure sectors to thrive.

The report has not been made public due to financial information contained in it – but some of the ideas are revealed as the report is being discussed by the Harbour Management Board.

The board meets today and will be asked to progress recommendations for further discussion.

Increasing some harbour charges and improving facilities are among other proposals.

There is also a suggestion to relocate some harbour users and make them part of the redeveloped peninsula by creating a 'multi-use quay' for commercial fishing and sea angling boats, freeing up other areas of the harbour for larger marine craft.

The "possible pedestrianisation of Custom House Quay and Trinity Road" is another suggestion.

Banning traffic from the harbourside has been considered in the past by the council as part of regeneration plans to create a safe and attractive environment for pedestrians and reduce congestion and traffic fumes – but nothing has ever happened.

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It is generally supported by pubs and restaurants as it would encourage a café culture along the quay with improved seating and viewing areas and without the hassle of parked cars and passing traffic.

But business deliveries and the needs of those who work around the harbour would have to be considered.

The quayside is closed at certain times to allow events and festivals to take place – but as demonstrated at the time of the filming for the war movie Dunkirk in July 2016, drivers need to be warned the harbour is being closed otherwise queues build up on the seafront and surrounding streets.

Harbour Management Board chairman Cllr Ian Bruce said: "Nothing has been decided, these are just ideas for consideration.

"If we are going forward with this then we must consult with all users of the harbour. The difficulty is if you shut off access you get traffic problems and we all know how the town clogs up.

"There needs to be a holistic approach, you can't just close off one part and have no access."

Ali Record who owns the George Bar and Grill on Custom House Quay said: "I welcome this and I think the council should get on and do it; it would be the best thing they could do for the town.

"We have a beautiful harbour – a luxury that other towns do not have – and you can't see it because of all the cars."