Campervan and motorhome owners have been left furious after new overnight parking bans have impacted travel near a major tourist route.
Eryri National Park Authority moved to ban overnight parking at 11 of its car parks on April 1 in a bid to crack down on increasing issues linked to overnight stays, with larger vehicles being particularly singled out over anti-social behaviour.
With roughly four million people visiting the park to access Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, the parking ban has become a serious problem.
To avoid the midday rush for the popular walking route, many drivers have started to park overnight to hike first thing, with the ban now limiting this option.
The authority stated that the ban was to address “increasing issues linked to overnight stays, particularly unauthorised campervans”, which had been causing disruptions to the wildlife by littering and poor waste disposal.
The ban follows three years of monitoring by the authority, which argued the restrictions aim to tackle key areas “where pressures have been greatest”.
While the ban restricts access at 11 car parking sites, drivers will not be entirely impacted as many other areas across Eryri remain available 24 hours a day.
Under the new rules, parking at the Betws-y-Coed site has been restricted between 10pm and 3am.
All vehicles have been banned from overnight parking at 11 sites due to campervans being disruptive to residents
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Betws-y-Coed Community Council explained that it understood the reasons for the ban on overnight parking near the national park, but warned that it has caused a “noticeable knock-on effect” for the local village, with more people parking on roadsides and lay-bys overnight.
Residents have started complaining of the impact overnight campers were having in the area, including late-night noise, obstructive parking and poor waste management.
The new parking ban will be enforced through Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras, which are currently being trialled at Llyn Tegid.
Meanwhile, overnight parking has been prohibited in Llyn Tegid and Llangower between 10pm and 6am, while the remaining nine parking spots will restrict parking between 10pm and 3am.
Motorhomes and campervans have faced several parking and road restrictions in the UK this year | PA
Gemma McInnes, a hiking guide in Eryri, expressed concern over the impact the ban could have on business.
She told the BBC: “There are not enough car parking spaces as it is in the national park on a day-to-day basis. We‘re not talking thousands, we‘re talking hundreds of thousands of pounds that have been given to charity events, for people who make the effort.“
Eryri National Park acknowledged the concerns raised and said it would “encourage visitors planning to stay overnight to make use of official campsites or alternative facilities such as the Arosfan sites for motorhomes, which are located in towns and villages just outside the National Park boundaries in Gwynedd“.
A spokesperson shared: “Our car parks are still open 17 hours a day, which provides ample time for leisure opportunities, and some of our key car parks remain open 24 hours a day for those who wish to access the National Park at other times.”
Mount Snowdon attracts thousands every year | PA
A list of the affected car parks:
Pont Bethania – Parking for Nant Gwynant and Watkin Path on Yr Wyddfa
Llyn Cwellyn – Parking for Snowdon Ranger path on Yr Wyddfa and Llyn Cwellyn boardwalk
Rhyd Ddu – Parking for Rhyd Ddu path on Yr Wyddfa, and Lôn Gwyrfai
Betws-y-Coed – Long stay car park. Does not apply to Cae Llan
Ogwen – Parking for Cwm Idwal and Ogwen Valley
Beddgelert – Parking for Beddgelert, Lôn Gwyrfai and Fisherman’s Path and Cwm Bychan
Ty Nant – Parking for Pony Path on Cader Idris
Dôl Idris – Parking for Minffordd Path on Cader Idris
Morfa Dyffryn – Parking for Benar Boardwalk and Benar beach
Llyn Tegid – The main car park for Llyn Tegid and Bala
Llangower – Parking for the south of Llyn Tegid
