Motorists are driven to distraction by ‘Welsh-only’ ticket machine

A CAR park ticket machine which only gives instructions in Welsh has caused chaos and left people queuing for up to half an hour.

Visitors and locals have been frustrated by the device in an underground car park in the seaside town of Rhyl. A motorist, who is not fluent in Welsh, said one driver was so frustrated he gave up trying to figure out the machine.

“The whole point of a car park is you can park quickly and easily,” said a driver who did not want to be named.

“You don’t expect to stand in a queue for half an hour whilst people try and work out how the machine works – or doesn’t work in this case.”

Denbighshire council said: “Our pay and display machines default to Welsh, but there is a large grey ‘language button’ that people can press to change the language. This is explained on the machines; however, customer service management is also patrolling to assist customers on site.”

The council said there were two other machines available in the Rhyl Central car park and people could also use the smartphone app.

It follows a voluntary scheme where people wishing to buy properties in Welsh-speaking communities may have to start proving they can speak the language.

The proposed “Fair Chance” scheme, unveiled earlier this month, aims to tackle the lack of affordable housing in

Wales, particularly in places where there are large numbers of second homes.

Jeremy Miles, minister for the Welsh language, said: “For the Welsh language to thrive, we need sustainable communities and good job opportunities in the areas where it is widely spoken.”