Asda caught up in Llandudno car parking fight

Oct 16 2008 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

A SUPERSTORE manager is piggy in the middle in a dispute between neighbours.

The row centres on an entrance to the car park at Asda in Llandudno which was blocked off last week.

This means people have to walk an extra 40 yards to another access, which has stirred up a storm.

Some people living on Ffordd Penrhyn, which faces Asda, asked for the cycle entrance to be closed because shoppers were parking in front of their homes.

This was making it difficult for them to park their own vehicles and they argued the shoppers’ cars were causing a traffic hazard.

Store manager Les Moore responded to their request and to concerns about accidents involving cyclists in the car park by closing off the gap.

But over 400 people have now signed a petition asking for it to be reopened.

“We’re annoyed the path has been closed because we’ve got a lot of elderly people on the estate who now have to walk further to get to Asda. We feel this decision is against the elderly and people who are disabled,” said protester Rita Williams.

On Tuesday she and other objectors handed over the petition to Tudno ward county councillors Philip Evans and Ronnie Hughes.

“We’re angry Asda has listened to a few people who don’t like cars being parked in front of their houses,” said Mrs Williams. “They haven’t got dropped kerbs so there’s nothing to stop people parking there.”

Cllr Evans and Cllr Hughes believe double yellow lines could be the answer to the dispute and have asked the county council’s highways department to impose the parking restriction.

Asda says it is sticking by the decision to block the entrance although Mr Moore is willing to listen to any new arguments from the protesters.

“Les Moore has spoken to the store’s closest neighbours and they’re still very passionate about having it shut off,” said a spokesman.

“For health and safety reasons he believes their claim is stronger because it is stopping traffic going through the estate and it has also lessened the potential for accidents involving cyclists crossing the car park.

“However, he is willing to meet those who want it open again and if people who are disabled or elderly have difficulty in accessing the store he is willing to provide staff to help them.”

judith.phillips