New parking machine at Welsh beauty spot to end visitor frustration over poor phone signal
Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter
New parking machines at a Welsh beauty spot are expected to stop holidaymakers becoming “distressed and irritated” when they cannot use a phone payment app because of poor signal.
On October 21, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee approved the authority’s application for a new pay-and-display machine and relocated signs at Freshwater East car park.
The machine will move closer to the main entrance, on a grass verge between the Trewent Hill entrance and the adjacent caravan park.
Lamphey Community Council backed the plans, provided parking-fee income continues to help keep the Freshwater East toilets open.
It said “users of the car park have difficulty in getting a strong enough signal to pay on the [phone] app,” and asked: “Can you include a way of paying by card on the machine as councillors have witnessed visitors getting distressed and irritated by the lack of phone signal at the site.
“Alternative methods of payment need to be offered other than paying by phone due to the poor signal at the site.”
An officer’s report recommending approval said Lamphey’s concerns about fees and signal were noted but were not material planning matters.
At the meeting, members heard the machine will take both cash and card payments.
Members unanimously approved the application; a call from member John Hogg to publicise the many facilities supported by parking revenue potentially being incorporated into the new sign designs.
Last month, the national park backed a 50 per cent increase in some seasonal parking-ticket prices next year, rejecting a recommendation to double them.
The park charges at 14 car parks and has offered two season-ticket options since 2017, alongside pay-as-you-go rates.
The tickets cover either one site or all 14 and cost £50 and £140 respectively; officers recommended raising the single-site price to £100 to tackle the near-threefold “price anomaly”.
Members backed raising the individual season-ticket price to £75 next year. Pay-as-you-go rates range from free parking for up to 30 minutes to £8 for a full day.
Parking revenue goes into the park’s general fund to help pay for other facilities and services.
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