Snowdon motorists face being towed if they park illegally

Cars parked along Pen-y-Pass in Snowdonia

Motorists are being warned their cars could be towed by police if they park illegally at Snowdon.

Police were called out after more than 500 cars were parked 'irresponsibly" along roads in Snowdonia over the weekend.

Gwynedd Council, Snowdonia National Park and North Wales Police will be working together to ensure motorists park responsibly.

Staff will be on duty over the weekend, signs are being installed and cones will also be placed to discourage parking on the highway.

From Saturday a bus service will be running from the area's main car parks to the summit paths. They'll be running every 15 minutes between 6:45am and 6:40pm.

Superintendent Neil Thomas, North Wales Police said: “The measures have been put in place to maximise public safety. This is a 60mph area and the irresponsible and dangerous parking we saw last weekend not only risked lives but also would have prevented emergency vehicle access.

 “Whilst we appreciate that people are getting out and about more now that the travel restrictions have lifted, we are urging people to be responsible and think about where they park and to make full use of the park and ride facilities that are available. 

“Anybody found to be parked on the clearway or causing an obstruction will have their vehicle removed at their own expense. Please heed the warning.”

Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Gwynedd Council Leader said: “Our message for people who intend to visit Snowdonia is to plan in advance before they set-off so that they can do so safely and responsibly.

“We are urging motorists to make full use of the car-parking facilities available at Nant Peris and Llanberis as well as at nearby Pen-y-gwryd and to check the National Park's website for up-to-date details of their car parks.

“Walkers are also encouraged to use the regular Sherpa bus service which will be running every 15 minutes from 6.45am from Saturday onwards and which links all the main Snowdon car parks with the various summit paths. This will help us to control the traffic on these narrow mountain routes and avoid dangerous situations which we saw last weekend.

“The fact is that motorists like those who parked illegally at Pen-y-pass endanger the lives of other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and cause serious access issues for emergency service vehicles, including mountain rescue volunteers.

“We want people to be able to enjoy our stunning mountain ranges safely. Those who ignore the message by parking illegally on the highway on Snowdonia’s mountain passes will face an on-the-spot fine or even being towed away by police.”