A campervan took up four parking spaces at Y Glyn car park near Llyn Padarn in Llanberis, prompting anger from locals and visitors. The vehicle had an awning slung to another car, a roof tent, barbecue and deck chairs, according to a local resident.
Overnight parking is banned at the spot, which lies in the shadow of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), but the order is frequently ignored. Over the weekend, spaces were in short supply as motorhomes and campervans packed into the barrier-free car park.
Local tensions rise
One local described the site as "un-policed" and cautioned that tensions were mounting between campers and the community. The scenic location offers stunning views across the lake and serves as a popular launching point for swimmers and watersports enthusiasts.
Three years ago, its three parking zones were resurfaced to accommodate 114 parking bays. A separate aires-style "Arosfan" facility was later created for campervans, reports North Wales Live.
Parking enforcement issues
While Parc Padarn wardens occasionally patrol the vicinity, unauthorised parking is considered low risk during weekends and evenings. "Y Glyn has been shambolic since the Arosfan site was set up," remarked a resident online. "It has been a nightmare for us locals. Everyone does as they want - there is no order. It's easy to put signs up with all the regulations - but if nobody monitors the site, as is currently the case, it's just a waste of money."
Illegal long-term parking has also become commonplace on Y Glyn's access road. To tackle this, new Cyngor Gwynedd Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) took effect on that road on Monday, July 27.
Witness report
A local resident reported that all eight spaces at the Arosfan facility, which costs £16.50 per night for maximum stays of 48 hours, were taken. Dozens more campervans occupied the neighbouring car park in breach of site regulations. "To be fair, the majority were occupying just a single space, but two weren't. Of these two, one had foreign registered plates. The other was UK registered and this took up four spaces: it had an awning slung to another car as well as a roof tent, BBQ and deck chairs, depriving three others of space. It was hugely disrespectful."
He added: "As parking payments can be made online, there's no way of knowing how many paid for their spaces. Perhaps some did. But the whole thing is a bloody joke. The campervans shouldn't be parked there anyway."
Toilets and BBQs
Maximum stays of eight hours only are allowed during the day, at a cost of £6, operating between 6am and 8pm. Overnight stays require use of the Arosfan facility, which has toilets, fresh water and grey water disposal. Daytime visitors can use Y Glyn's toilet block, which shuts at night.
"No one is going to pack up their holiday and leave in the middle of the night looking for toilets," said the resident. "Not all campervans have a toilet on board, so you can imagine where they go during the night. With the school holidays now upon us, and more people heading here, the amount of disrespect is causing a lot of local friction. When I wandered through the site last Friday evening, I counted eight disposable BBQs at the side of the lake. Most had been lit on rocks but with wildfires raging across the region, it was a pretty stupid thing to do."
Council response
Cyngor Gwynedd said monitoring and enforcement of parking falls under its Civil Parking Enforcement Scheme (CPE), undertaken by a "small but dedicated team of parking officers". Parking arrangements at Y Glyn have undergone several reviews and modifications. A spokesperson said: "In terms of motorhomes and campervans, unless there are specific restrictions in place related to them, they have the same rights to park as other vehicles. The parking arrangements and restrictions in place are reviewed in response to the experience and expectations of all users. Where there is high demand for parking spaces, a fair and reasonable compromise is sought. Cyngor Gwynedd encourages motorists to park responsibly, to be respectful of others and to comply with parking rules, so that everybody can enjoy what Gwynedd has to offer safely."
