Parking restrictions in seaside town 'damaging business' and 'will get worse'

06 March 2023 , 11:32

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Residents and business owners are concerned (Image: Getty Images)

Widespread parking restrictions in a seaside town are being blamed for leaving the coastal area like a ghost town with residents saying they are damaging business.

Locals say they 'won’t be able to park anywhere without getting a ticket' since the restrictions came in a few days ago.

Conwy County Council put out a public notices advertising a host of parking restrictions it wanted to introduce in Llandudno as well as in Craig y Don and Penrhyn Bay in Wales.

Business owners have been left fuming at the council's plan to ban parking on more than fifty streets, saying that it will kill off the high street.

The restrictions came into force on Wednesday, March 1 and local businesses are concerned about the effect it will have on those coming into the resort.

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Landudno’s pub watch chairman Phil Ashe believes the town already has enough parking restrictions and fears tourism could be damaged.

Llandudno streets are no park zones (Getty Images/EyeEm)

Mr Ashe, who is also a silent partner in a prominent Llandudno business, was angry about the proposals, citing Conwy’s £21 million budget shortfall as the reason behind the changes.

“It’s going to damage tourism in Llandudno, especially in terms of day trippers,” he said.

“You won’t be able to park anywhere without getting a ticket, and I think that’s what the council are hoping because the officers within the council clearly can’t manage the money as it is, so they are finding other ways to try and tax the public.

"It is not for parking reasons. These restrictions are being introduced because the council, over the last couple of years, have spent money on vanity projects.”

Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders urged the council to rethink the plans. “The council have already maxed out on parking restrictions here,” she said.

“The one thing Llandudno needs now is to keep our high street free. The roads around here have seen far too many parking restrictions previously.

Strict rules for parking are in place (Google Street View)

"While I appreciate the council’s coffers are low at the moment, they should not be penalising those who want to come and spend money in our town in order to keep our high street alive.

"Our businesses are faced with massive business rates, and with a cost-of-living crisis, now is not the time for Conwy County Council to even be thinking about bringing in any more parking restrictions.

“They are targeting the wrong people, and it would be quite wrong for Conwy County Council to bring in these parking restrictions.” She added: “People struggle to park. If it was one road, I’d be angry.”

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A Conwy County Council spokesman said the restrictions were "to maintain the free flow of traffic and improve road safety".

Kelly-Ann Mills