Gwynedd Council have put forward proposals to restrict parking at the bus turnaround area at Allt Ddu (better known as Bus Stop quarry to climbers) at Dinorwig near the Llanberis slate quarries.
Mae Cyngor Gwynedd wedi cyhoeddi arghymellion I gyfyngu parcio cerbydau yn ardal y trofan bysiau yn Allt Ddu (sydd yn adnabyddus I ddringwyr fel “ Chwarel Bus Stop”), yn Dinorwig ger chwareli llechi Llanberis (Erthygl Cymraeg yn isod)
The proposals for restricting parking, involving the creation of a legal Traffic Regulation Order, that would allow the Council to place double yellow lines along sections of the roadside at Allt Ddu were posted on fence posts a couple of weeks ago.
The proposals show that yellow lines would be placed either side of the approach road towards the bus turnaround, and around the “inner circle” of the bus turnaround as well as on the road leading to residential areas beyond the bus turnaround. The proposals would still allow parking space for about 25 vehicles, including along the roadside verge directly below “Bus Stop Quarry” and on the outer verge of the bus turnaround.
This area is used for parking to access the main path that leads through the slate quarries to a popular promoted viewpoint, a path that is highly used by locals and visitors alike, as it provides an “all-weather” and all-ability to give stunning views of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dinorwig Slate Quarries. During the recent lockdowns, this area has proved to be invaluable for local people, including those with young children, people with mobility issues and dog walkers, to be able to drive locally to a safe flat area to exercise to maintain health and well-being.
Photo: Ray Wood
While its also used by climbers accessing the slate climbing venues of the Upper Dinorwig Quarry, it must be remembered that legally there is no permitted access to the quarries away from the public paths and landowners have a legal obligation to erect suitable barriers to keep people out of disused quarries.
We have been in contact with both council officials and the local councillor and the reasons being given by the Council for requiring parking restrictions are, that at peak times, vehicles have been parking on both sides of the road, creating obstructions to the walkway, with pedestrians having to walk on the carriageway, buses unable to use the turnaround due to vehicles parked on the “inner” part of the turnaround and also vehicles parking on the inner part of the turnaround which is in fact a memorial to the quarrymen who died when working in the quarries.
In addition to this, many local residents have been concerned at the increasing amount of overnight van camping that goes on and are particularly appalled at the sanitation issues associated with this activity at this location, with toilet paper, human faeces and similar in adjacent fields and even in animal shelters.
Having said this, our position is that the proposals as they stand are disproportionate and overreaction to the issues here and will not serve to solve all the issues mentioned above. The parking restrictions are too extensive and will only serve to displace the parking issues further back towards residential areas of Dinorwig, where the highway is narrower and has a “blind bend”, no pavement and would create a far more dangerous situation while at the same time create issues for residents living along that section of the road.
We agree that restricting parking on the “inner” section of the turnaround is sensible to allow buses to use it as intended and to protect the memorial to the quarrymen. We feel that further consideration needs to be given for traffic calming measures and would suggest a 20mph speed limit on the approach road would solve the road safety issues better than painting yellow lines along the approach road which simply displaces the parking further down the road.
Cars parked at Bus Stop Quarry, Dinorwig. Photo: Ray Wood
A ban on overnight van camping could also be considered to overcome the sanitation issues – but it’s clear that in the longer term, a wider debate on providing better facilities and infrastructure to support van camping is needed for the whole of the Snowdonia and North wales area as simply imposing overnight camping bans at selected sites will only displace the issue to other sites.
According to the published Council notice, responses need to be sent to Gwynedd Council within 28 days of October 30th and sent to marielynnewilliams@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
We strongly recommended that any responses concentrate on road traffic and safety issues and not on the convenience of parking for climbers and that the extent and scope of the proposal is fully understood before responding. It’s important to note that the proposal does not, by any means restrict all of the parking in this area.
Fersiwn Cymraeg
Gosodwyd yr argymhellion I gyfyngu ar barcio, sef gosod llinellau melyn mewn rhannau o amgylch y trofan bysiau yn Allt Ddu, ar bolion yn yr ardal yn ystod yr wythnosau diwaethaf.
Mae’r argymhellion yn dangos fod bwriad I osod llinellau melyn bob ochr I’r lon sydd yn arwain tua’r trofan, ac hefyd o gwmpas ochr fewnol y trofan bysiau, yn ogystal a phob ochr I’r ffordd sydd yn arwain at dai preswyl cyfagos.. Byddai hyn yn cyfyngu y nifer o leoliadau parcio ar gael ar ochr allanol y drofan ac ar y cilfan gyferbyn a'r ardal dringo “Chwarel Bus Stop”. i thua 25 o gerbydau yn unig.
Mae’r ardal hyn yn bwysig fel mynedfa I’r prif lwybr sydd yn arwain trwy y chwareli llechi I weledfan hyrwyddodedig, a ddefnyddir gan drigolion lleol yn ogystal ac ymwelwyr. Mae yn lwybr aml-dywydd, ac aml-ddefnydd ac yn arwain at olygfeyedd godidog o’r Wyddfa ac ardal Safle Trefdadaeth y Byd UNESCO y chwareli llechi. Yn ystod y cyfnod caethiwo diweddar, roedd yr ardal yma yn hynod o brysur ac yn bwysig I drigolion lleol, gan gynnwys rhai hefo plant ifanc, oedolion a cherddwyr cwn lleol, a oedd yn medru gyrru yn lleol, er mwyn cael ardal agored, gwastad a diogel I ymlacio a chynnal ei iechyd a hunan fyddiant.
Er fod yr ardal hefyd yn boblogaidd hefo dringwyr, rhaid cofio ni chaniateir mynediad cyhoeddus oddiar y llwybrau cyhoeddus, a bod cyfrifoldeb cyfriethiol ar y tirfeddianwyr I osod rhwystrau addas, er gwarchod pobol rhag niwed yn yr hen chwareli hyn.
Mae’r CMP wedi bod mewn cysylltiad hefo swyddogion y cyngor, ac hefo’r cynghorydd lleol ac wedi cael yr ymateb fod angen y cyfyngiadau parcio oherwydd y nifer o geir sydd yn parcio yma, sydd yn parcio ar bob ochr I’r lon yn atal trafnidiaeth, yn creu rhwystur I gerddwyr ac yn atal bysiau rhag defnyddio y trofan. Mae y trofan ei hun hefyd yn gofeb I’r chawarelwyr a gollwyd yn y chwareli hyn.
Yn ychwangeol I hyn, mae nifer o drigolion lleol wedi cael ei poeni gan y niferoedd o bobl sydd yn gwersylla ac yn aros dros nos mewn faniau yn ardal hyn, ac yn arswydo am y problemau glendid, toiledau a baw pobol sydd I’w gweld yn y caeau ac hyd yn oed yn yr adeiladau anifeiliadau cyfagos.
Er hyn, teimlai y CMP fod yr argymhellion hyn, I gyfyngu ar barcio yn y safle hyn, yn mynd yn rhy bell ac yn ddi-angenrhaid, ac ni fydd y cyngyngiadau parcio yn ateb I’r problemmau uchod. Mae’r argymhellion hyn yn fwy tebyggol i symyd y broblem parcio yn bellach thua ardaloedd preswyl cyfagos, I leoliadau lle mae’r lon y gulach a lle mae tro peryglus yn y lon.
Cytunai y CMP fod rhai cyfyngiadau ar barcio yma yn ddoeth, er enghraifft ar ochr fewnnol y trofan, er mwyn galluogi bysiau I ddefnyddio y trofan ac I warchod y gofeb. Teimlai y CMP hefyd, dylai y cyngor gynsidro elefennau tawelu traffig, a lleihau y cyflymder gyrru I 20 milltir yr awr, yn hytrach na gosod llinellau melyn dwbl, sydd ond yn mynd I drosglwyddo y broblem ymhellach I lawr y lon.
Hefyd dylai y Cyngor gyflwyno gwaharddiadau ar aros dros nos yn y lleoliad hyn, ond mae'n glir yn y tymor hir fod angen trafodaeth ymhellach ar y matter o greu cyflysterau I ddelio hefo'r mater o wersylla mewn faniau yn ardal Eryri a Gogledd Cymru, ohherwydd bydd cyfyngiadau lleol ond yn disodli y problemau I leoliadau eraill.
Mae’r hysbysebion yn sylw fod angen danfon sylwadau ar hyn I Gyngor Gwynedd o fewn 28 diwrnod o Hydref 30, ac I’w danfon I marielynnewilliams@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
Mae’r CMP yn argymell y dylai y sylwadu ganolbwyntio ar faterion diogelwch traffig ac nid ar faint mor gyfleus yw y parcio I ddringwyr.
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