180 vehicles received fixed penalty notices for blocking traffic at a popular beauty spot on Sunday.
The Pen-y-Pass car park was said to be full even before sunrise on Sunday, with images flooding social media showing reams of cars parked along the side of the mountain road as visitors flocked to the peak of yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).
But while it has been confirmed that talks are underway to find a long term solution, visitors have been urged to use public transport to avoid several mountain passes again being reduced to a single lane.
One local councillor says that the possibility of using Glyn Rhonwy, the former industrial site and quarry on the outskirts of Llanberis, need to be “seriously revisited” as a designated park and ride facility despite plans having already been unveiled for a multi-million pound visitor centre.
If you’re visiting Snowdonia, make sure you plan in advance and use the car-parks and Sherpa bus services available.
— CyngorGwyneddCouncil (@CyngorGwynedd) July 20, 2020
Those who ignore the advice by parking on the highway are likely to face a fine. Details about @visitsnowdonia car-parks available here https://t.co/JbH9TcHh6m pic.twitter.com/waKQWUn3wo
Today the council’s cabinet member for the environment confirmed that 180 parking fines were dished out at Pen y Pass alone – costing £35 if paid within 14 days or £70 otherwide – while urging people to use Sherpa bus services which link Snowdonia’s various peaks.
Cllr Gareth Griffith said: “Motorists who ignore parking restrictions on these narrow mountain roads are endangering other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and cause serious access issues for emergency service vehicles.
“We would urge motorists to plan their visit in advance before they set-off, to check the Snowdonia National Park website which offers regular updates of when their car-parks are full and to make use of the numerous car parks at Llanberis and Nant Peris.
“We would also strongly recommend that visitors use the regular Sherpa bus service which links all the main Snowdon car parks with the various summit paths.
“By doing so, they will be reducing the volume of traffic for the benefit of local residents and visitors to the area as well as avoiding an unnecessary fixed penalty.
“As a council, we are discussing the weekend incidents with partners from North Wales Police and Snowdonia National Park and considering if any further steps can be taken to prevent dangerous and illegal parking in this area.”
But with Sunday’s scenes having sparked outrage, calls for a dedicated park and ride service have intensified.
On Monday the Snowdonia National Park confirmed that emergency talks are underway, with a multi-agency report expected soon on the area’s parking and transport arrangements, under the Snowdon Partnership banner.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Llanberis councillor Kevin Morris Jones said that a specialist site near the village was “desperately needed.”
“In my view the Glyn Rhonwy site would be ideal for a park and ride, having been empty for several years now,” he said.
“There is an opportunity there but action would have to be taken quickly, given that a visitor centre is already being spoken about there.
“But there would be room there for hundreds of cars, which would give a boost to Llanberis while freeing up the local car parks for those visiting the village itself while unblocking the roads too.
“The scenes over the weekend are familiar to those if us living locally, but it really concerns me that emergency vehicles could be blocked as a result and the possibility of lives being lost.
“Personally I can’t understand why there aren’t double yellow lines down there already, but in terms of fixed penalties, we don’t have enough officers in Gwynedd to police these areas all day every day.
“Obviously many visitors must feel that its worth the risk and that the potential of a £35 fine is just a risk worth taking, but this can’t carry on.”
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