Questions are being asked about why Tesco was allowed to extend its Pembroke Dock store without creating a second exit onto London Road.

Traffic jams are commonplace since the store was redeveloped and new shops including Argos and Peacocks opened on the same retail park.

All vehicles access and leave from a single exit. Some motorists told the Western Telegraph that at peak times they have been stranded in Tesco car park for an hour.

According to neighbouring businesses, volume of traffic along London Road - a particular problem when ferry passengers are boarding or disembarking -- was an issue before Tesco was built and was one of the reasons for objections.

Gary Williams, of Bierspool Cycles, says three years before Tesco was built, the company had expressed an interest in buying his site with a view to creating an exit.

"They led us along in the belief that they wanted to buy us out, but when permission was given they lost interest,'' he says.

"I believe that they thought that they would not be allowed planning permission without creating a new exit to relieve the inevitable increase in traffic, and were probably surprised, as we were, that permission was passed. Who was it that allowed this to happen, knowing of the pre-existing problem?'' A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman commented: "The reason why we could not stipulate that Tesco put in a second access as part of its planning application is that Tesco could only consider the impacts of its development plan on the existing junction and mitigate this.

"Tesco have mitigated the effects of its own development and changes are taking place at the junction to bring about improvements.'' The council acknowledges that there are parking and access issues at Bierspool and is examining whether funding may be available to help it improve the highway.

"Such improvements would also assist with the issues inside the development site, although it is not up to the public purse to improve parking or access within a private development,'' she added.

Tesco says it is looking at ways to solve the problem.

"We'd ask customers to consider turning left on exiting as it's possible to use the roundabout to come back the other way which is likely to save some time and ease congestion,'' said spokesman, Adam Fisher, "but a second exit is some way off at this stage.''