Calls have been made for a dedicated site for coaches in Caernarfon, North Wales after complaints from operators that coaches struggle to find room to park at the Old Shell site car park near Victoria Dock. This has lead to fears that the lack of parking spaces could lead to coaches staying away which could hit the town’s important tourist trade.
In one recent incident, a pair of coach drivers went to nearby Galeri to complain to staff that parking bays designated for coaches had been filled with cars. The two drivers reportedly had to leave their coaches parked in front of the cars, blocking the vehicles in.
Town Councillor Hywel Roberts said the idea for a dedicated site for coaches in the town had been raised years ago, and locations such as the Cibyn industrial estate had been suggested.
“We have been calling for this for a couple of years,” he said. “It could have facilities for cleaning coaches and emptying toilets, and somewhere for the drivers to have a break and a cup of tea. These coach trips are very important to the town and having somewhere for them to go could bring even more to Caernarfon.”
A Gwynedd County Council spokesman said: “We are aware of some concerns regarding the bays allocated for coaches at the Old Shell site car park and we are working to resolve the matter. As a council, we are committed to encouraging people to visit Caernarfon’s town centre. There are currently two designated drop-off areas for visiting tourist coaches at Balaclava Road and on the Maes and we would be happy to discuss arrangements directly with the coach companies.”
Commenting on the situation, Chris Owens, MD of Alpine Travel, told CBW: “It’s not actually the lack of parking, but more the fact that the locals park their cars in what is a free coach park. You have actually got two coach parks – the issue is they are completely unmanaged. They are quite good coach parks really.”
