DELIGHTED traders celebrated after town centre parking times were extended.
Shoppers will be given extra time to browse Colwyn Bay stores, due to the introduction of new traffic orders. The measures have led to parking times in Penrhyn Road extended from 60 minutes to 90.
This week traders came together to praise the council move, which comes after a review of town parking. Businesses have battled for more than two years to increase waiting times in the town centre.
Lyn Lyon, business proprietor of Zanzibar in Penrhyn Road, started a petition in hope of extending parking times on the street and gained more than 1000 signatures from traders across the town. She said: “It is definitely going to benefit us. I started the petition because customers didn’t even have time to enjoy their meal. This will give people a chance to stay longer.”
Ingrid Lewis, town centre manager, said traders are “delighted” at the news. She said: “The new parking regulations are timely. Penrhyn Road is about to undergo extensive regeneration works and the road will remain open for business and for parking throughout the period of the works.”
Conwy County Borough Council have cordoned off an area of the Lansdowne Road carpark to bring in raw materials to begin the Penrhyn Road environmental improvement scheme. The project, which is the third stage of the Streetscape regeneration scheme, follows on from work competed on Sea View Road and Station Road.
Despite the celebrations some traders say parking in Colwyn Bay still needs further improvements. Eric Evans of the Penrhyn Road Jewellers said gaining an extension on parking times has been a long battle. He said: “Business dropped when parking time went down to an hour years ago years ago. What we still need is a free car park, where people can stay free of charge for a few hours and pay if they stay longer. Only 15 to 20 per cent of Lansdowne Road car park is used. People will be going out of town soon. We are falling behind Llandudno, they have a retail park that can be used for two hours free of charge.”
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