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CHAOTIC scenes at some of Wales’s beauty spots over the weekend have led to renewed calls to properly manage the tourist industry.

Hundreds of cars were parked illegally at Pen y Pass and Penygwryd in Gwynedd for example- by people wanting to climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).

Now a petition has been started to press Cyngor Gwynedd and the Snowdonia National Park to close Yr Wyddfa, until suitable traffic management measures are put in place.

The scenes were an exact replica of what occurred on March 23, just at the time lockdown was being imposed.

And searching questions are now being asked why Cyngor Gwynedd and the Snowdonia National Park did nothing over a 4 month period to prepare for the inevitable second wave of visitors.

‘Why didn’t the limp National Park and Cyngor Gwynedd act decisively to address the issue over this period of time? ‘ said GWLAD leader, Gwyn Wigley Evans.

‘Try parking in that way in Central London, and you will be towed away at £200 a pop.’

‘Here, Gwynedd hands out a pathetic £30 fine, which says everything about our unwillingness to really tackle the problem.’

Mr.Evans said the exact same illegal parking was also seen near Cader Idris, Dolgellau, with 50 + cars parked either side of a narrow road, creating difficulties for all local traffic.

‘This theme park Wales notion, with day trippers showing no regard for local people and their circumstances has got to stop’ he said.

‘If this situation – which is so symptomatic of a much wider problem – is not dire enough for the Welsh electorate to want Independence, then how big a beating do we need, how much more pain are willing to undergo’?

He added that dealing with saturation tourism at all levels would be a key GWLAD policy in next year’s Welsh Election.

Congestion charges for non-local traffic and more investment in park and ride schemes could be introduced for day trippers over time.

Perhaps the three National Parks of Wales – which bear the brunt of the tourist deluge – could also consider some immediate interim measures for the remainder of this summer.

Such as estimating the present car park capacity space of their respective areas and then issuing an equivalent number of visit permits per day.

Something’s got to be done about this out of control tourism situation.

And it’s got to be done soon… .