Locals in a small village in the UK are up in arms against the inconvenience caused by the tourists visiting the nearby famous beach. Residents living in Brynsiencyn and Llanfairpwll on Anglesey have started a petition to call for villagers to be compensated for the inconvenience caused by tourists travelling to Traeth Llanddwyn on the island, which is also known as Newborough Beach, it has been reported.
The beach and its tidal island have gained popularity among holidaymakers thanks to social media, leading to a recent surge in visitor numbers.
However, locals argue that the resulting traffic congestion has significantly impacted their daily lives, and they believe they should receive some form of compensation, similar to other villages on the island.
In the petition on Change.org villagers in Brynsiencyn and Llanfairpwll say the area is packed with cars heading to the beach from Britannia Bridge and residents get “absolutely no reward”. They have called for free parking at the site as a form of compensation, NorthWalesLive reports.
It comes after the site manager of Natural Resources Wales (NRW) issued residents’ passes for free parking in Newborough Forest, which backs onto the beach, to people living in Newborough, Dwyran, Llangaffo and Malltraeth.
Locals in Brynsiencyn and Llanfairpwll said they should get the same treatment and claimed they are “not valued or prioritised” in the petition.
“Since Brynsiencyn receives most of the traffic going through to Llanddwyn beach but absolutely no reward, we should be granted free parking at the site by NRW,” the petition reads.
“Many of the poorest residents of the village cannot justify the costs of up to £3.60 to visit a natural heritage site which should belong to the people who inhabit the surrounding areas.
“This also means that most of the visitors of Llanddwyn beach, of whom can actually afford it, are holidaymakers.
“This is wrong and means that local people from Brynsiencyn and Llanfairpwll are not being placed at the heart of the community by NRW.
“We are not valued or prioritised – despite compromising the peacefulness of our high street to allow those wishing to visit Llanddwyn beach the opportunity to pass through.”
Parking charges at Newborough National Reserve apply to three of its seven car parks, including the main beach parking area and two along the access road—Airman’s and Cwningar.
The remaining car parks are free but are located farther from Traeth Llanddwyn.
Despite the charges, Llanddwyn’s car parks often fill up quickly, forcing visitors to either wait in line or turn around. Summer traffic congestion in Newborough has been an ongoing problem, with previous measures having limited success.
Earlier this year, the community was consulted for solutions at two “hackathons,” generating numerous ideas, such as boat taxis, cable cars, and early warning signs.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is currently reviewing these suggestions and seeking funding to take action.
This post was originally published on here
