Workers and shopkeepers complain over double yellow lines Colwyn Bay

Mar 11 2010 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

Workers and shopkeepers complain over double yellow lines Colwyn Bay

FURIOUS workers and residents in the heart of Colwyn Bay say it’s impossible to park in the town following a council parking review.

A large scale review of parking times and new double yellow lines in and around the town centre has restricted areas and the length of time drivers can leave their vehicles.

Roads affected include Conway Road, Coed Pella Road, Queen’s Drive and Princes Drive.

But those working in the town’s shops, cafes and pubs say they can’t park to get to work and residents are also fed-up with traffic chaos.

Dominie Roberts, 23, of Bwlch-y-Gwynt, Llysfaen, works at the Nationwide Building Society on Conway Road and says it is impossible to park near where she works.

“I used to park on Conwy Road, by the war memorial, but they double yellow lined one side of the road,” she said.

“Then I started parking at Coed Pella Road, then they put double yellow lines right the way up and now I have to park in a residential area.

“Workers are having to park five or 10 minutes walk away, I'm very annoyed because I have to leave for work early in the morning.

“I just don't understand why they are doing it, the council should be trying to attract people to Colwyn Bay, the only reason I can think of is to make money and get people to pay to park, but there is not enough car parks in Colwyn Bay. Tourists and local residents aren't going to be able to visit Colwyn Bay if they continue to limit parking.”

David Williams lives on Hawarden Road and complained: “I came back from my holiday to find that basically there is nowhere to park. I live on Hawarden Road and you have to move your car every hour or two on our street and park it around the corner,” he said.

“Now they’ve put double yellow lines along Princes Drive. There is absolutely nowhere to park, they are driving people out of town.”

Paul Evans is Conwy County Council’s group engineer for traffic and responded: “Last year we carried out an extensive review of parking in Colwyn Bay and Old Colwyn.

“As a result of requests from businesses, the public, councillors and the police, various measures were proposed for locations throughout the town.

“It is important to manage parking for the benefit of all road users and to help support the commercial viability of the town. Time limited on-street parking ensures a turnover of parking spaces in the town centre; this is essential to attract shoppers and customers. Some of these measures have already been received very positively by traders.

“One of the rules of the highway code is that parking should not take place within 10 metres of a junction. We are seeing an increasing disregard of this rule so yellow lines have been installed at junctions to provide safe conditions and to ensure clear crossing points for pedestrians.”