Cars towed from Snowdon after scores parked on road

WALKERS were turned away from Snowdon as police barred more than 60 vehicles and towed others for parking illegally.

The Snowdonia National Park Authority said officers had to intervene after the Pen y Pass car park, which has 80 spaces, became full by 4am the previous weekend. Within hours almost 200 cars had been parked on the main road, meaning it was “almost impassable” to traffic.

On Saturday police directed 60 vehicles back to a park-and-ride car park, where shuttle buses were running every 15 minutes. Two cars were towed in Ogwen.

The park authority said there was less disruption yesterday and that people were following instructions to head directly to the park and ride.

North Wales Police wrote on Twitter: “Around 60 vehicles have already been turned away from Pen y Pass this morning with some even parking by the signage.

“Drivers said they thought we were ‘just bluffing’ when we said cars would be towed if obstructing the road … a recovery vehicle is already parked up there.”

A spokesman for the SNPA said: “The dangerous parking we saw not only risked lives but also would have prevented emergency vehicle access.

“Although parking has been a problem for some time in the Snowdon area, the huge surge in popularity of visiting the countryside post-covid has meant even greater challenges.”

New arrangements were brought in to direct hikers straight to the park and ride, and there were additional signs and cones placed along the road.

On Sunday, an SNPA spokesman said: “Around 60 cars turned up at Pen y Pass yesterday which were sent on to the park and ride, but today it seems the message has been received and most people are heading straight to the park and ride.”

She added: “So far feedback from visitors has been very positive, saying that the experience is actually far better than before, especially with shuttle buses running every 15 minutes. It has also vastly decreased the traffic, pollution and noise in the national park.”