New parking plan shows lack of long term plan for Pontypridd
RCT Council have announced that they are going to allow short term parking in Taff Street in Pontypridd before 11 am in order for people to make quick visits to shops, banks, etc. They claim the move is being made to help traders and shoppers, but the plan has been met with mixed reaction.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor Mike Powell says that it shows the lack of any long term plan in relation to the town.
"The Labour administration keeps reminding everyone of the £10 million investment in the pedestrianisation of Pontypridd. A scheme that nobody wanted in the first place. Traders warned from the outset that they would lose business if there was no through traffic and people were unable to stop for a very short term in a convenient location to pick up items.
"Yet they pressed ahead regardless with a scheme that has always been haphazard to put it mildly. It has never been a full pedestrianisation – buses and lorries have always been allowed through – and with no definite demarcation between road and pavement in the town then it is dangerous.
"Anyone can drive through before 11 am and recently they announced that traffic can go through at 3 pm instead of 4pm – so with shoppers still in town then suddenly there is an influx of cars that pull in all along the street. Many people have expressed their concerns to me over safety aspects and also what they see a complete waste of money.
"I agree that it is helpful to trade for shoppers to be able to stop for a few minutes outside a shop, but this has always been the case. Rather than spend such a huge sum on fancy roads and pavements the Labour Council should have listened to the views of others and kept a system where there was at least a clear distinction between what was the road and what was pavement and therefore safe for people to walk along.
"This is a clear indication of how little thought actually goes into many of these plans. This Labour Council has done nothing to really regenerate Pontypridd."
