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Can
I just give you some feedback on the proposed draconian parking
restrictions and public transport improvements proposed for the Snowdonia
National Park region of North Wales as detailed at http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/adrannau/economaidd/green_key/index.english.htm
My
interest in North Wales is as a Walker, climber and cyclist. I also have
been known to visit some of the tourist attractions and historic monuments
on inclement days of holidays. Some points:
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I
have in the past forgotten some piece of kit from home, stopped in a
shop In Capel Curig to buy a replacement. In future parking in a
gateway town I may or may not have bought the kit. In any case I will
not be stopping the bus halfway along. Shops in non-gateway towns must
therefore suffer as people are bussed past them with no desire /
ability to stop.
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a)
I live in Sheffield - 5 mins from the Peak National Park. There are
documented cases of followers of outdoor pursuits being told
"you're not bringing that on here" by a Peak Park bus driver
in response to large bags full of caving kit / mountaineering
equipment. Lets face it - winter mountaineers carry "offensive
weapons" around with them. What bus driver wants that on their
bus?
b) Ever couple of years we see the re-introduction of the "Stanage
Bus". This attempts to provide climbers the ability to get to
this popular crag without parking at it. Even with subsidising funding
from the British Mountaineering Council, South Yorkshire Passenger
Transport and I believe the Peak Park, this service normally dies a
death and has to be reinvented due to lack of demand, lack of
publicity or funding problems.
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Many
walkers and climbers want to spend a full day on the hills. In summer
months, the keen (and I have done this) like to start early (7am?) and
finish with sundown (8pm). a 7am bus service seems not very likely and
while the evening bus would seem to be ok, a day on the hills can be
subject to many delays, incidents and problems. 11pm / midnight walk
offs are not without precedent. If we find our selves, after a very
tiring day on the hills, waiting by the bus stop at midnight do we a)
call a cab b) kip by the roadside c) call out Mountain Rescue or will
there actually be a bus that late? If there is, what frequency of
busses will be available to pick up these tired, hungry, hypothermic
hill walkers. As a side note the last Stanage bus (detailed above -
being used here as a "prototype") only runs until sunset.
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Assuming
that the bus service works this would lead to a busload of walkers
being dropped off at the access points once every half hour. This
"gaggle" of walkers is hardly the solitude that most walkers
seek. This would inevitably lead to word of mouth amongst the walking
community along the lines of "Go to North Wales and be part of a
crowd. Go to the Lakes / Peaks for solitude"
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These
proposals do seem to be designed to bring in the "sort of visitor
that spends time and money" and push away the "kind that
just goes walking in the hills". This attitude seems to be in
violation of the ethos of the National Parks and increased access to
the countryside that is being legislated by CROW act at the moment.
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As
a cyclist I have spent some weeks cycling around North Wales. I have
no problem with cycling around on the roads. The idea of
"removing the roadside parking to create cycleways" is, in
my opinion wrong. I don't need a cycle lane. Cycle lanes tend to be
badly maintained by highway agencies. Cycle lanes may be great in
towns for small kids, but we're talking about roads around some of the
biggest mountains in England / Wales. It is also interesting to note
that one of the better cycle / walking routes in North Wales, has over
the last few years been destroyed to create a tourist attraction
railway.
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