A line of tow trucks successfully deterred illegal parking at a beauty spot in North Wales. North Wales Police called in nine vehicle recovery trucks to deal with illicit parking by visitors to Snowdonia over the recent bank holiday weekend.
The truck drivers waited to be directed by officers to remove cars parked illegally and causing an obstruction on the A5 in the Ogwen Valley, reports North Wales Live. The tactic appears to have worked, with the number of vehicles towed away over the bank holiday weekend having fallen by almost 75% compared to the number removed over Easter.
Around 10 vehicles were towed from the A5 over the bank holiday weekend, but over Easter the road had to be shut for several hours as police battled with poor parking. Some 29 cars were removed from the Llyn Ogwen area on Good Friday alone, while nine were removed from Pen y Pass on Snowdon.
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The crackdown has been welcomed by local vehicle recovery firms, who said they would much prefer directing their resources to deal with breakdowns rather than illicit parking. Eryri National Park Authority (NPA) said its message appears to have been heard, with “only a small minority of visitors” now failing to follow parking and transport guidelines.
A spokesperson said: “Through a collective effort with our partner organisations, our messaging on parking and transport in the Ogwen and Pen y Pass areas are increasingly being understood. We are very grateful for everyone’s cooperation in this regard.
“The surge in popularity of the National Park brings challenges to the delicate balance of the environment and local communities. To ensure the preservation of this remarkable area, it is crucial that visitors adopt sustainable practices and adhere to the guidance provided, especially during peak times as we head into the busy summer months.”
Meanwhile the authority has been encouraging sustainable tourism, such as with guides published last week on going "car-free" in Snowdonia and a bus service connecting popular routes up Yr Wyddfa. .
A spokesperson said: "As an Authority we will be continuing to follow our Yr Wyddfa and Ogwen Transport and Parking Review. This aims to greatly reduce traffic, pollution and noise in the inner area during high season, whilst vastly improving the visitor experience and promote sustainable tourism."
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