W3526602 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Hi, There is a car park at the far end of Pontneathvaughn (South Wales) serving the two nature trails round the local mountain. I sometimes walk Blitz there in the morning, and occasionally see campervans parked up. Yesterday I went to walk him in the evening. Wrong! The barrier was locked, so couldn't get in. If anybody had been parked, their car would have had to stay there overnight. An interesting approach to detering parking. This was at a few minutes past 5PM 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 W3526602 - 2007-07-12 6:46 AM . . . if anybody had been parked, their car would have had to stay there overnight. But it sounds as though no one was parked there. Do you think they would have locked it if someone had been parked ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 W3526602 - 2007-07-12 6:46 AM An interesting approach to detering parking. This was at a few minutes past 5PM 602 This is not unique where the owner of the car park perceives a problem with people using the car park in the evening/overnight. Such usage might not be camping, could be kids messing about in cars (which can damage the car park surface) or people engaging in activities which (shall we say) others might find morally offensive. If you know who owns the car park it would be worth getting in touch and asking why the measure has been introduced - or send me the details of the owner in a PM and I'll see if I can get in touch and publish the results on my web site. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share Posted July 13, 2007 Hi Graham, Thanks for that. I'm pretty certain that any vehicle in the car park when the gates are locked will have to stay their overnight. My surprise is due to the early hour that the gate is locked. I believe the key holder is a local resident acting as a part time warden. The barriers only restrict access by cars. Bikers, hoofers, and walkers can just walk or ride round the barrier. I was in a Land Rover at the time. I would hate to have met these closed gates in anything much bigger. The road can be tight when driving forward, let alone in reverse. The site is owned by the council, but looking on the map shows its right on a junction of maybe three borders. I will visit again, try to take photos of the relevent signs. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'm pretty certain that any vehicle in the car park when the gates are locked will have to stay their overnight. My surprise is due to the early hour that the gate is locked. I believe the key holder is a local resident acting as a part time warden. I'm sure you're right about a lock-in (unless it is someone local who makes sure the place is empty first). I expect the timing depends on the hours the guy works. The site is owned by the council, but looking on the map shows its right on a junction of maybe three borders. I will visit again, try to take photos of the relevent signs. Thanks. I don't think the car park is on the list given to me by Neath Port Talbot council (though if it's a tourism section car park rather than a car parking section car park they might have missed it off). I'll be happy to chase up whichever council owns it given details of location etc. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 14, 2007 Author Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hi Graham, I looked on www.streetmap.co.uk for Pontneathvaughan Road, followed that to its Eastern end, found Coed-y-Rhaidyr. There is a turning off C-y-R, shown as a dotted line, which crosses the river. The entrance to the car park is immediately on left after you cross the river. I would expect C-y-R to be in Neath Port Talbot CC, but the website mentioned above does not show district/county boundaries. My street atlas of Glamorgan is not too clear, but I think it shows the boundaries in the middle of the river. I will try to get up there today, subject to it not raining. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Is this the car park? http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.759274&lon=-3.578096&z=17.7&r=0&src=msl Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 Hi Graham, I clicked that link, got a arial picture amost completely blocked by a pop-up, and could see no way off getting a clear view (I'm a technowimp). I noticed Dinas Terrace labled in the top left corner of the area I could see, so did a streetmap.co.uk on that and got the area in question. I visited the car park yesterday. Almost no parking spaces available, and lots of semi-naked men getting dressed...looked like they had been swimming. Other blokes were climbing the rock face. Several vans belonging to "Corporate Bonding" organisations. I took photos of the various notices, not realising till I got home that my camera was set for close-up. Doh! Photos are slightly legible, I can post to you, if you want, if I can work out how. The car park seems to be part of the Brecon National Park. Parking notice says 8AM to 5PM in Summer. Another notice at the far end says NO PARKING after 5PM. Presumably this is for the benefit of the authority's staff rather than the general public. It just strikes me as strange that somewhere intended to provide adventure facilities is closed down at tea time. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 Hi, Anybody looking for somewhere to park in the Neath Valley, might take a look at the car park at the end of the canal in Resolven. No barriers, good surface. I don't know if anyone will disturb you, but I suppose the loos will be locked overnight. The road past the neaby pub is usually full of parked cars belonging to commercial bed and brekky visitors. If I can remember, I will take a visit late one night. 602 PS, both car park and loo are unavailable during the Welsh section of the RAC (?)rally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 W3526602 - 2007-07-15 8:17 AM I clicked that link, got a arial picture amost completely blocked by a pop-up, and could see no way off getting a clear view (I'm a technowimp). The "pop-up" is just the details of the site maintainers. You just click on it to get rid of it. W3526602 - 2007-07-15 8:17 AM I visited the car park yesterday. Almost no parking spaces available, and lots of semi-naked men getting dressed...looked like they had been swimming. Other blokes were climbing the rock face. Several vans belonging to "Corporate Bonding" organisations. I took photos of the various notices, not realising till I got home that my camera was set for close-up. Doh! Photos are slightly legible, I can post to you, if you want, if I can work out how. The car park seems to be part of the Brecon National Park. Parking notice says 8AM to 5PM in Summer. Another notice at the far end says NO PARKING after 5PM. Presumably this is for the benefit of the authority's staff rather than the general public. It just strikes me as strange that somewhere intended to provide adventure facilities is closed down at tea time. I've had a look at the web site for the National Park but can't spot anything that seems connecte. If it is an adventure venue aimed at supervised daytime activities that may be the reason for closing at 5pm (like many businesses). Was there any owner identification of venua name on the signs? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 16, 2007 Author Share Posted July 16, 2007 Hi Graham, Just looked like an ordinary car park to me. There was an information notice, courtesy of Brecon Beacons National Park. I took a photo of a sign with the name (in Welsh) but when I got home I found it was blurred as my camera was set to close up. As far as I can make out, there is no restiction on who can use the car park. In the past, I have seen notices about the two walks - 2.5 miles and 4.5 miles, or something like that, but haven't noticed them recently. I don't "do" walk, Baker's cysts and athritis in both knees. Due to a family disruption, I will not be able to visit the park for a few days. I have sent you a PM. Oh yes, an army cadet drowned there recently. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I've been in touch with Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and found them to be very helpful as usual. It turns out that this particular car park (Dinas Rock) is owned by the Forestry Commission not the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. However, the NPA tell me that whilst the car park gets locked at 17.00hrs this only prevents cars from driving in and cars already parked there can still get out. So no Mandatory Overnighting :-D Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 slightly different but along the same theme, we were parked on the road at great yarmouth about 8 years ago, there was a large council car park next to where we were parked, and the council were erecting a permanent hight barrier, but there was a swift kontiki on the car park, when i pointed it out, they couldnt have cared less, still don't know if that van (only vehicle on the car park, by the way) ever got off. pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 Hi Graham, Thanks for your investigation, and findings. Yep, the exit does have those one-way spikes so you can get out but not in....only when I was there the exit was locked as well. But I'll check on that, just in case there is a bit of egg floating around looking for a face to land on. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 W3526602 - 2007-07-21 9:54 AM....only when I was there the exit was locked as well. But I'll check on that, just in case there is a bit of egg floating around looking for a face to land on. Just checked the Forestry Commission web site. There is a contact number on the page for Dinas Rock at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/Recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/WalesMerthyrTydfilBreconBeaconsNationalParkForestsWaterfallsDinasRock if you need to do some face wiping :-) Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sax Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 breakaleg - 2007-07-19 2:37 PM slightly different but along the same theme, we were parked on the road at great yarmouth about 8 years ago, there was a large council car park next to where we were parked, and the council were erecting a permanent hight barrier, but there was a swift kontiki on the car park, when i pointed it out, they couldnt have cared less, still don't know if that van (only vehicle on the car park, by the way) ever got off. pete Great Yarmouth is very close to where I live. It is totally MH unfriendly and is best avoided. In fact it is a s**t place. If visiting the area come to Gorleston on the other side of the river. Unfortunately still under the jurisdiction of the same bent council but still much more civilised. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Lepe Beech Nr Southampton Notices say what times the barrier is shut. Nothing says you cannot park overnight though. Many years ago we have. We did ask the car park attendant who just pointed out that we would be locked in. Fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I've been in touch with the Forestry Commission for Wales this morning. The reason for the car park being locked is to stop anti-social use, fly-tipping and vandalism. Such a pity that there are some sections of society who abuse facilities in this way and then we all have to suffer for it. In order to prevent people having problems in turning round, the local area manager is going to check the signage this week and if possible will arrange for the times to be clearly marked before the bridge (sometimes this can not be done due to it not being FC land). He will also get the times of closure put onto the FC website. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 Such a pity that there are some sections of society who abuse facilities in this way and then we all have to suffer for it. Hi Graham, Rites of Passage! If you can't do something good, do something bad, but at least show that you can do something. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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