Visits to Relatives.  Many of my relatives live within the restricted areas (Nant Gwynant & Beddgelert) and have little or no off road parking.  Will they be expected to pay for some sort of residents parking permit?  For my own concern, it will be very inconvenient to visit my family.  Visits frequently take place in the evening.  Will there be buses? Use of a car is essential to transport my disabled mother, who can’t stand for long or get on board many buses.  The towns and villages of N Wales are currently very convenient for shopping with her.  Relatively easy parking near to shops, small shops and shopping areas, make it easy for somebody who tires very easily and has limited mobility, to make purchases.  With the advent of the scheme there is likely to be more congestion and restrictions in the villages making this type of access more difficult.  This will lead to us spending less money in the area.

Mountain visits.  I also visit the area for mountaineering and hill walking, often staying at huts or camping within the restricted area.  Sometimes there is little or no off road parking.  Will a bus take me, and all my luggage to my destination at 1.00am?  I doubt it very much.  If I can’t park, I can’t stay, so I will go elsewhere.  It will not be any better if I am allowed to park overnight, but not in the day.  All this would do is force unnecessary journeys to the gateways, only to travel back immediately.  If possible I try to start my activities from where I am staying by foot.  I have come to enjoy the park not spend yet more time and money travelling.  All the hassle and inconvenience will just increase the stress involved in a visit.  Much of the reason for visiting the area is to ‘relax’ away from the stresses of towns and cities.  If the problems of life in towns are transported to the countryside then is it worth visiting?  While it the area I purchase food, drink, lots of outdoor equipment and clothing.  Buying outdoor equipment is often done by a quick drive into one of the villages, or while passing through after a day in the hills, or at the start of the journey home.  If forced onto a bus, I couldn’t just stop for five minutes to see if the shop has the product I want, so I expect I would do my shopping elsewhere.  This could be a loss of several hundred pounds a year to the local economy.  Further more would I even bother coming the area, there are lots of other regions without this kind of restriction.  The additional costs involved will also be a big discouragement.  Probably the easiest way of recouping the cost will be not to eat out, but to cook in a hut or tent and to reduce visits to pubs.  After all my income has not increased.

N Wales as a holiday destination.  I consider that N Wales is one of best holiday destinations in Britain.  It has a great mixture of different environments and attractions in relatively close proximity, mountains, coasts, beaches, wildlife, industrial heritage, castles and many other attractions.  Increasing costs to the visitor without perceived benefits will not encourage visitors.  With the availability of low cost flights, foreign travel is made cheaper and encourages people to go abroad.  Additional costs will discourage visitors especially those who have travelled a long way to the area.  The Foot and Mouth crisis encouraged climbing clubs in southern England to rearrange club trips from Wales to the continent.  Having done this, foreign trips are now part of the calendar, particularly for the Bank Holidays.  This trend will be further encouraged by additional restrictions and costs.  Some of the towns and villages are very run down e.g. Bethesda.  Visitors are unlikely to spent money, when the environment is unattractive and the shopping facilities are so limited.  I do not see how the plans will improve the situation in their current form.

 Summary.  The ideas from the report regarding increased facilities, public transport, paths and cycle paths, and signage are a good idea, but the proposals regarding parking restrictions and increased inconvenience for the visitor are a very bad thing.

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