Council slammed for sticking with parking charges

Richard Evans, Local democracy reporter

A councillor has slammed a local authority for sticking by its decision to introduce parking charges on a promenade.

Conwy Council will now charge motorists on the promenade stretch between ‘The Arches’ and ‘Rotary Way’.

Councillors claimed the decision will affect those exercising, the elderly and the disabled.

Locals

Cllr Cheryl Carlisle said: “We put forward a very good and detailed case of why this very small section of Old Colwyn Promenade was not suitable for charging as it was used by local people, always has been.

“There are no toilets, no kiosks, no amenities there, and yet they see fit to charge. But yet for other areas, for example Porth Eirias, they don’t charge. Exercise people park there and especially elderly people.

“They take a flask and have a little walk along to look at the sea. It has never been a tourist area at all. It is used by locals. It has been a local area as far back as we can remember.”

She added: “Conwy has not got a parking policy. They’ve just randomly picked this little section of Old Colwyn. They picked on this to try and make money out of local people and the elderly and disabled.

“Old Colwyn Promenade has always been used by all the locals, especially those with disabilities who go and park down there to have sandwiches and look at the view.”

In March Conwy Council’s economy and place overview and scrutiny committee re-debated plans to charge drivers £2.50 to park on the seafront after Old Colwyn councillors called in an earlier cabinet decision.

Disabled

The committee then resolved to back the call-in, meaning the matter returned to cabinet, who were encouraged to consult further with Old Colwyn councillors after residents sent over 40 objection letters.

Both councillors and residents accused Conwy of using parking charges as a cash grab, instead of a measure of traffic control as advised by Welsh Government.

A subsequent meeting then took place between Old Colwyn councillors, council officers, and Cllr Goronwy Edwards, the cabinet member responsible for parking measures.

But the Old Colwyn members went away from the meeting disappointed, stating they feared a final decision had already been made by the authority.

On Tuesday this week, the Old Colwyn councillors were informed by the council a final decision had been made, with the parking charges set to remain.

Cllr Cheryl Carlisle said the council should have listened to residents, adding the matter is all the more frustrating as Conwy has parking meters that have been out of order on the same promenade.

“One of the most annoying things is the fact that the section of promenade from Porth Eirias to Rotary Way has already got meters installed there, but they apparently are broken, and they haven’t been collecting any money for two years,” she said.

“They have had the capability to charge there for seven years and they haven’t, yet they are making this happen in Old Colwyn because they say they are short of money. It is a financial reason, and yet they’ve thrown two years of tourist parking money in the bin by not charging at all. It is absolutely shambolic.”

Conwy County Council declined to comment.