|
Many people have been puzzled by the Snowdonia
Green Key Strategy which aims to 'improve tourism' by making people leave
their cars at 'Gateway' car parks and ride into the mountains on expensive
buses.
Since local authorities in this area have
not been noted in the past for effective support of the visitor business,
why are they now suddenly pressing ahead with this scheme against strong
opposition from that very industry?
Some clues have been, perhaps inadvertently,
provided during the series of public consultation meetings.
Dafydd Iwan has said that the days of free
roadside parking are over. Parking must be tightly controlled, especially
because of the 'Right to Roam' legislation.
Here perhaps we have the reason behind this
strategy.
If the roads have been made clearways so
no-one can park and if the laybys and car parks have been closed or made
too expensive to use, then visitors will have no option but to use the
expensive buses. The authorities will have then achieved full control of
visitors and the 'Right to Roam' will be made ineffective.
The 'Right to Roam' is controversial, I am
not sure I agree with it myself, but it is Government policy.
This Green Key initiative promises to alienate
Central Government and bring untold harm to the area, unless it is
drastically modified to ensure that it is fully in line with Government
policy for the countryside.
|