No plans for return of car parking to popular beach

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

There are no plans to review the decision to end car parking on a popular beach, more than two years after vehicles were banned from the sand.

Traeth Mawr (Newport Sands) became car-free in May 2023 after the land was purchased by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The move followed growing concerns about public safety, particularly during busy periods when vehicles, pedestrians and beach users were sharing the same space.

At the time, the national park authority said the beach would operate as a car-free zone, with exemptions only for emergency services and essential users such as the RNLI and coastguard teams.

The decision proved controversial and prompted the launch of a public petition calling for the ban to be reversed.

Campaigners argued that removing vehicle access had a negative impact on a wide range of visitors, including families, older people and disabled beach users who found it more difficult to reach the shoreline.

Despite the opposition, members of the national park authority later voted to maintain the car-free policy, while also committing to “actively pursue options” to improve access for people living with disabilities.

As part of that commitment, plans to upgrade facilities were approved towards the end of 2024.

The development management committee gave the go-ahead for the demolition and replacement of the existing public toilets, the creation of a new access ramp and steps to the southern slipway, and the construction of a dedicated beach wheelchair storage building.

Improvements were also approved for the nearby car park on Golf Course Road.

Pay-and-display machines

These include new pay-and-display machines and a significant expansion of parking capacity, with 52 additional spaces being created on top of the 43 already available. The number of designated disabled parking bays will also be increased.

Campaigners had hoped the ongoing investment might prompt a rethink on beach access itself, but the authority has made clear that no such review is planned in the near future.

Responding to questions about whether the car-free policy could be revisited, a spokesperson said: “There are no plans to change the existing parking arrangements at Traeth Mawr. The Authority is investing in facilities on site to improve visitor services and accessibility.”