Cyngor Tref   ABERYSTWYTH   Town Council

                      Maer Aberystwyth Mayor: Y Cyng. / Cllr. Kerry Ferguson

Consultation: Ceredigion County Council (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Unloading) Order 2019 (Aberystwyth Seafront) (Amendment Order No.11) 2024

Whilst Aberystwyth Town Council is supportive in principle of enhancement to the promenade and supportive of active travel programs, it objects strongly to these being at the cost of parking. We would highlight the following issues with the proposal:

• Parking is consistently one of the most important issues to local residents, commuters, visitors and businesses.
• This proposal will result in the loss of around 40-60 unrestricted, all-day parking spaces needed for residents and those who work in town.
• No alternative solution is offered to this proposed loss of unrestricted/all-day parking
• Commuters are a large proportion of Aberystwyth’s working economy – many people who work in Aberystwyth live in surrounding towns/villages with no/insufficient public transport and must therefore drive, and park, in town. People also have to drive and park in town for many other reasons, such as the nature of their work (carers who cover many towns & villages etc.)
• Welsh Government funding for public transport is insufficient. Public transport infrastructure for Aberystwyth and its surrounding areas are currently not adequate and will require significant improvement and investment before the area could sustain such a significant loss of parking.
• Parking along the South promenade is largely used by local residents – from both South Marine Terrace and narrow, nearby streets such as Sea View Place, Prospect Street, Custom House Street etc. This loss of parking will only compound this problem, pushing the pressures onto new areas; streets further afield will start to suffer from the same problems.
• The plans shows disabled parking spaces moving to the opposite side (East side) of the road on South Marine Terrace, meaning that disabled visitors will have to cross a busy road to get to the beach.
• Consideration must be given for residents’ parking. There is already much support for a free/affordable residents’ parking permit system; use could be made of Ceredigion County Council car parks, such as at Canolfan Rheidol.
• We would encourage this to be considered as part of a wider review of parking in Aberystwyth as a whole, including consultation with Aberystwyth University as part of a – if users of the university (students, staff & visitors etc.) were offered parking at the university campus, it would result in significantly fewer cars being park in the town centre. This could also support active travel agendas, as it would encourage people to walk/cycle to and from university more.
• Given that UKSPF money is funding this project, which must be spent by March 2025, it is far too late in the day to be consulting on proposals. This is very disappointing, and it seems as if decisions are already made regardless of consultation outcome.
• We feel this funding could be better spent elsewhere. There will always be bottlenecks that impair cycling and active travel on the promenade; establishments such as the Hut and Pier create human bottlenecks, particularly in summer months when it would be most desirable to use the promenade for cycling or other means of active travel.

These works could potentially be undone by sea defence works; both Ceredigion County Council and the Welsh Government have sea defence works planned for Aberystwyth, so this must be looked at in partnership to ensure the solution with the greatest longevity.