Eight motorcyclists from Devon have become among the first to be caught out by new ANPR parking cameras at Llyn Tegid in Bala, north Wales, after stopping twice to buy ice cream. They are now each facing two £60 penalties, bringing the combined cost to £960.
Ice cream stops prove costly
The cameras went live on July 13 as part of measures to tackle overnight camping. The group from Devon stopped twice at the lake to buy ice cream and only later discovered that new parking charges had been introduced. They now expect to receive two fines each, totalling £120 per person.
On a local message board, the biker, a regular visitor from Torquay who lives in Devon, said: "I've been visiting Llyn Tegid for many years from my home in Devon. This year I brought seven friends with me on motorcycles to introduce them to this beautiful area. We stopped here twice to buy an ice-cream from the lovely lady in the ice cream van – this is something I've been doing for getting on for 10 years."
He continued: "Now we have been home for a week we have started to receive the fines. As we visited twice, we are all expecting £120 each in fines ....for apparently missing £2 in parking fees! None of us remembers seeing any new signage in that motorcycle area. We would of course have paid the measly £1 charge if we had been made aware of it. Sadly, it has put a bitter taste in our mouths after visiting your beautiful countryside."
Other drivers have also reported receiving £60 penalties after visiting on July 12, the day before the cameras were switched on. They are challenging the fines but are doubtful about their prospects with a private firm now running the car parks.
New parking rules and charges
Parking now costs £5 for up to four hours, with a daily charge of £8. Watersports participants are subject to different rates, while Blue Badge holders receive double the usual time allowance. Motorcyclists are now charged £1 to park in an area they claim was formerly free.
The changes followed chaotic scenes on nearby roads during recent summers as Bala contends with over-tourism. Space was increased at Llyn Tegid's two car parks, charges were raised and solar-powered ANPR cameras were installed. Police officers and National Park wardens have previously removed vehicles parked "dangerously and inconsiderately" on narrow roads.
Residents feel shut out
The motorcyclists' frustration is modest compared with the anger felt by residents living near Llyn Tegid, who believe they are being shut out from their own lake. A petition has been submitted to Eryri National Park Authority (ENPA) calling for free access to the lake's car parks.
Bala residents have started a petition and launched a letter-writing campaign calling for improved access. Many had previously pushed for stricter controls due to lakeside litter, disturbance and unauthorised camping, but the resulting measures have now backfired on them. They too face higher parking fees and, potentially, severe penalties.
As a compromise, described as a "local benefit", residents receive one hour of complimentary off-peak parking. However, locals say the available times are derisory: the free hour only applies between 2am and 8am, or 5.30pm and midnight. "Nobody's socialising by the lake at 3am," the petition protested. "Calling that a benefit isn't generous, it's insulting."
In a letter to ENPA, petitioner Elin Pritchard added: "That's not a meaningful concession for anyone trying to visit after work, at the weekend, or with children, it's a token window designed to let you say one exists."
The petition contends that Llyn Tegid and its two car parks have "belonged to this community for generations". Calling for complimentary 24-hour access, it added: "This lake is where this community meets, not a place we should have to pay to stand in."
Elin also raised health concerns, saying: "We are constantly told, by government, by health bodies, by the outdoor sector itself, that people, and especially children, need more time outdoors, not less. A charge like this does not encourage that. It quietly discourages it, and it does so most for the people who already have the least room in their budget to absorb it."
Private firm runs the scheme
The enforcement model has also sparked considerable local unease. Elin said: "This scheme is being managed on the authority's behalf by Initial Parking, a private company. Whatever the safeguards, the practical effect for residents is that access to a public lake is now gated by a private firm whose income depends on charges and penalty notices being issued. That is a significant change to how this land is used, and it deserved real consultation with residents and community councils before it began, not after."
Within six days the petition had raised 534 signatures, more than a quarter of the town's population. One supporter said it was "awful that people are being pushed away from beautiful natural spaces".
Park authority defends pilot
In response to Elin's letter, Bethan Wyn Hughes, ENPA's director of corporate services, confirmed the pilot would run until the end of the October half-term. Beyond that point, the ANPR system would remain in operation, though amendments could be introduced.
She added: "The purpose of the pilot is to gather evidence of the effectiveness of ANPR of dealing with both overnight camping and general non-payment of parking fees. The findings from the pilot, including operational ANPR data, resident feedback, community council views and other relevant information, will be evaluated as part of the overall review, and will help inform any future decisions. It would be premature at this stage to speculate on what conclusions may be reached or what changes, if any, may result from that process."
ENPA stated that the pilot scheme was introduced to help with more efficient management of its car parks and to guarantee that the correct parking charges are being paid. It is hoped the measures will also "improve the visitor experience" and contribute to the ongoing upkeep of the sites. In a bid to tackle overnight parking, both car parks are now closed between 12am and 2am every day.
Overnight parking restrictions at nine other Eryri car parks were suspended in June after public opposition. However, the restrictions remained in place at the two Bala facilities, which now operate as part of a "pilot scheme".
