Conwy town traders call for review of parking

Jan 22 2009 by Steve Stratford, North Wales Weekly News

STRUGGLING business owners in Conwy are pleading with the council to urgently review parking restrictions in the town.

At present visitors to the walled town of Conwy can only park their cars for 40 minutes on the High Street and Castle Street, the two main parking areas in the town.

Business owners say this isn’t enough and claim it’s unfair as shoppers in Rhos-on-Sea and Llandudno can park for 90 minutes.

A letter signed by business people and their clients is being sent to Conwy County Council to plead their case.

Spokeswoman for the group Linda Emberton of 3D Hair and Beauty said: “We are struggling here in Conwy, as everybody is in the UK at the moment.

“The least the council could do is try and help us during these hard times. It isn’t fair that there is only a 40-minute parking limit here while in Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea more than twice as long, and in Colwyn Bay there’s a large free car park.

“People should be able to come and enjoy our town, have a walk round the shops and enjoy a coffee but they can’t unless they pay to put their car in the car park.

“The traffic warden we have here seems to hide around corners and pounce on people,” she claimed.

Linda believes parking should be free in the car parks outside the summer months as they lie mostly empty.

“The council says the parking is cheap, but it isn’t. I’ve got single mums who work for me who have to pay £3 a day for the privilege of coming to work. It costs me £80 a year to get an annual ticket from the council, but a lot of people can’t afford that.”

Georgina Pattinson of Yesterdays Toyshop, claims the 40-minute limit is affecting business.

She said: “Three people got booked opposite us only yesterday, the traffic wardens – who sometimes even walk in twos – don’t give anyone a chance.

“All we are asking for is a level playing field with Colwyn Bay and Llandudno. Those people who are getting booked will never come back.

“I’ve even seen parking wardens putting tickets on cars at 8.30am on a Sunday when the car park is totally empty. Now that’s just mean. It’s a very good source of revenue for Conwy County Council at the end of the day.”

Cllr Joan Vaughan, who is in charge of the highways portfolio for Conwy, said she had sympathy for the traders.

“Perhaps 60 minutes would be a better compromise, I’ll ask for a review of it,” she pledged.