Green Key Backs Down On Park And Ride

After a period of relative quiet, the report on the public consultation on the Green Key Initiative proposals for Snowdonia has finally been made public and it looks like a clear climb down from the controversial original proposals, which included the closing of existing parking spaces and the introduction of a park and ride system.

The report is a consultants' analysis of the public consultation and is available in downloadable PDF and Word form both in its 58-page entirety and as a shorter 13-page executive summary for those of us too fragile to wade through almost 60 pages of report-speak.

So what does it say? Well, in the words of the Conway Council web site: 'the emphasis, direction and means by which the Initiative is implemented must change... [but] the partnership remains fully committed to the Initiative and to the overarching principle of promoting a more sustainable approach towards tourism and public transport in Northern Snowdonia.'

In other words, the widespread opposition to the proposals from local communities and businesses seems to have given the planners a bloody nose. More specifically, the report says that initial assessments of the economic benefits of the Park and Ride plan were over-optimistic - 'it is considered that the economic benefit of the Initiative is likely to be far more modest than was originally predicted.'

• Particularly interesting for climbers and walkers is an assertion that the success of a revised strategy could be prejudiced by the closing of historically parking spaces giving easy access to walks and climbs in areas like the Llanberis Pass and Ogwen Valley, though it doesn't preclude improvements in public transport in these areas too.

• The park and ride element of the scheme looks like being dropped completely with exisiting car parking arrangements being retained, though the report suggests that car parks should be re-sculpted and in some cases new ones built. It also suggests an overflow car park at Pen-y-Gwryd to help take the overflow from the limited parking at Pen-y-Pas beneath Snowdon.

• Long-stay car parking, suggests the report, should be subject to reasonable charges.

•; Public transport should be developed, particularly the Sherpa service so that it becomes a real alternative to the car in the area.

The next step looks like being more consultation, but the bottom line - and a positive one - appears to be that the Green Key Initiative has abandoned the unpopular park and ride strategy and will concentrate on building up public transport and making the area more attractive to visitors generally. If there's a downside it's that you're likely to find yourself paying for day-long parking in places where it's currently free. But don't take out word for it, check out the report for yourself.

Freedom To Choose - Snowdonia - the case against.

Conway Council downloadable report