National park could offer ‘free’ shuttle buses to visitors

Wales’ largest national park could offer “free” shuttle buses to its attractions while increasing the number of car parks as do authorities governing the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Dolomites, says a concerned councillor.

At Conwy County Council’s May cabinet meeting, members were given feedback from the Eryri National Park Authority by board member Cllr Jo Nuttall.

Cllr Nuttall gave a slide presentation on Eryri, “one of the UK’s most significant areas for conservation”.

The Rhos on Sea councillor gave an overview of how the national park was meeting the challenges of global warming, litter, and traffic issues while striving to protect and enhance its wide-ranging natural habitats.

Cllr Nuttall explained how Eryri was one of the UK’s most visited parks and had several projects in place to boost conservation, biodiversity, and manage tourism.

One project, for instance, cost £7m and focused on restoring temperate “globally rare” rainforest habitats, working to remove invasive species, like Rhododendron, and preserve woodland.

But she said 98% of visitors arrived by car, leading to “thousands” of vehicles on narrow mountain lanes, causing “severe congestion” with cars blocking roads and verges.

Councillors also heard how anti-social behaviour at overnight car parks had “prompted a ban at 11 car parks in April 2026”, while wild camping and unauthorised caravans had affected sensitive sites.

But Cllr Nuttall explained the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus service used a “network” of buses to attempt to tackle the problem, linking car parks, towns, villages, and trailheads, reducing the need to drive.

The current service offers “a day’s unlimited travel” on all buses in North Wales for £7.50 for adults, £16 for up to two adults and up to three children, and £5 for some concessions.

Other measures to manage traffic in the national park include smart parking technology, a transport strategy, and overnight parking controls, with “time-restricted” parking at 11 car park sites.

But speaking after the presentation, Cllr Paul Luckock asked Cllr Jo Nuttall to take back his traffic concerns to the board.

Cllr Luckock proposed a “free” bus service like those operating in Europe, believing it would benefit visitors and locals as the region was becoming increasingly busy.

“There are so many people now coming to walk, to climb, to mountain bike, to do all sorts of water sports, to do running and training events, and all sorts of things. The numbers are just… I was in Nantmor on Saturday, and the people around Nant Gwynant and Beddgelert… It was heaving with people, which is wonderful,” said Cllr Luckock.

“But when I go to the Alps or the Pyrenees, they seem to have a much better system. For example, wherever you are staying, whether it is in a hotel or an apartment or whatever it is, a campsite, they give you free bus passes, and the buses go up and down the valleys.

Most recently I was in the Dolomites, and they’re run every 10 minutes.

“So you can go from wherever you are staying. Even in the evening, you can go and have a meal, and you know there will be a bus going back down the valley every 10 minutes.”

He added: “The system just works, and likewise, even if you are in a car – and I’ve driven to the Alps many times – there are car parks near the attractions, and they are big car parks, and I know from talking to people in Eryri that there would definitely be farmers willing to rent their land for more car parks, and I just don’t think we’ve got that balance right.”

Cllr Luckock then suggested the board could send members on a “study visit” to the Dolomites, to see how transport worked.

He added: “The transport systems just seem to work, whereas if you are at Nant Gwynant on Saturday – and this wasn’t a school holiday – there were cars everywhere, on every verge, because there was nowhere else for them to go.”

He added the bus service to the Ogwen Valley wasn’t being used very much.

Leader Cllr Julie Fallon added: “We’ve all seen it, haven’t we, where at times it’s absolutely crazy. You can’t get emergency vehicles through, to pass with the inconsiderate parking and just the numbers, so that would be good if they could look into it.”

Cllr Fallon then joked that Cllr Nuttall should put herself forward for the trip to the Dolomites. Cllr Nuttall said she would take Cllr Luckock’s comments back to the board.