Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthen will benefit from three days of free parking. The Carmarthen Town Forum Sub-Group has asked the council for three free parking days on Friday, November 27, Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29. The council provides five days free parking for towns across the county each financial year outside the month of December to help stimulate trade during the quieter trading periods. Carmarthen has not taken any so far this year and at a recent sub-group meeting the idea of having a three-day free parking weekend was discussed. Friday, November 27 is the biggest internet shopping day of the year when retailers reduce prices to kick-start the gift-buying season. It is estimated that around £1billion will be spent on that day in the UK alone. The group is hoping to attract shoppers into town instead to support traders, creating a welcoming, feel-good atmosphere. They will be calling it the “Bright Friday Festival / Gŵyl Gwener Golau.” The Christmas lights will already be switc...

All roads lead to good old Sospan Fach for Llanelli Retrofest on September 26-27. There will be steam engines, vintage cars and open top buses with free parking in all county council car parks in Llanelli on the Saturday and Sunday too. Llanelli’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Carmarthenshire County Council’s transport management team can put on up to five days of free parking each year, and are pleased to announce two of the days have been secured to attract more people in to town for the Llanelli Retrofest. Chamber president Andrew Stephens said: “This is a big bonus for the festival, which we are confident will become a major event in the town’s calendar of fun activities. “It is a fun couple of days designed to bring life to Llanelli’s streets and the fact there is free parking will be a big attraction.” The free parking will run from 9.30am each and all day in all the county council’s car parks in Llanelli.

Carmarthenshire County Council has agreed free parking for the duration of Ammanford’s Twrch Trwyth festival later this month. There will be no parking charges at any of the council’s car parks in the town during the festival which runs from September 25-27. The parking machines will be shut down across the town for those three dates. The move has been agreed by the local authority’s Transport and Engineering section as the festival is for the benefit of the whole town. It is part of a council policy which allows five days free parking a year. The owner of the Indoor Market will also give free parking for the three days. Ammanford Chamber of Trade Chair Gerald Thomas of Arcade Newsagents said: “The free parking is a very good initiative and we thank the council for doing it. Sometimes people are willing to pay for an hour but when there is free parking they will spend longer in town which benefits everyone.”

Carmarthenshire Council’s Executive Board has given the go ahead to free parking at three Ammanford car parks from September 1st. Shoppers will be able to park for free for up to four hours after 10am in the Wind Street, Hall Street and Baltic car parks. It is hoped the move will offer economic support to traders as regeneration works are carried out in the town centre. Council leader Kevin Madge said: “The council is trying its best to help traders in Ammanford in what are very difficult times. We don’t know how long this recession is going to last or what the knock-on effects are going to be, but with the works going on in the town centre as well we want to provide some support to the traders.” The works include improvements to the bus station and the town centre retail areas and will provide a much-needed boost for the town. Although every effort will be made to minimise disruption, some inconvenience is inevitable. Executive Board Member with responsibility for transport and parkin...

Free shoppers car parking across three Ammanford car parks for up to eight weeks is being considered from September. A multi-million-pound regeneration programme is underway to improve the environment in the town centre. Leader of Carmarthenshire Council Kevin Madge said there was so much work going on they wanted to help traders by supporting free parking for shoppers for up to four hours each day from 10am. He said: “Although the town centre works do not affect access to any of the shops or businesses, we appreciate there is disruption and want to support traders and shoppers during this time. “The works include improvements to the bus station - which have already started - and town centre retail areas. We expect this stage of our regeneration plans to be completed by November, it will provide real benefits for the town in improving the infrastructure, making Ammanford town centre a more attractive place to shop and visit, and help boost the local economy.” With a total of 131 free ...

Free parking at Llanelli’s Murray Street Multi Storey car park is supporting traders in the town centre. The free parking, designed for shopping convenience, is for four hours after 10am in the morning to prevent spaces being occupied and blocked for the day by office staff. The ground floor of the multi storey car park serves as the home for Llanelli busy indoor market. Fruiterer and florist there, Will Seward, said: “We have had the free parking regime since November last year but despite publicity shoppers did not seem to be aware of it. He said: “I asked if a large sign could be put up at the entrance to the car park and it happened overnight this week and it has already had an impact. “It just goes to show that free parking does influence shoppers habits so it is a big thank you to the county council for this concession and to have acted so quickly with the sign. It is a big help to traders in these highly competitive and financial strained times.” The first phase of a £1.7mill...

The legal requirement of a Traffic Order to enable free parking at Llanelli Multi Storey Car Park at 10am means its introduction could be delayed until January, 2012. In the interim period there will be free Christmas parking across the county at all car parks for the period between December 9th and 24th. Drivers have been confused by early publicity about the proposed Murray Street multi story car park free parking. Many believe, quite wrongly, free parking is already in place. The executive board of Carmarthenshire County Council had approved the concession of free parking at the Multi Storey Car Park from 10am every day once the Traffic Order was in place. This will be clearly advertised at the entrance to the car park. The Traffic Order is required because of the pay and display regime that will remain in place before 10am. This is necessary to prevent office z workers taking up the spaces for shoppers the free parking are designed to benefit. Anyone found parking before the Traffi...