New charges to tackle congestion at popular beach

Visitors to a popular beach in north Wales will soon be charged up to £15 to park at its three nearby sites.

It comes as residents near Llanddwyn beach, also known as Newborough, in a nature reserve on Anglesey said their lives were in "lockdown" due to traffic problems and threatened to protest earlier this month.

From Friday 23 May, new parking charges and trial access restrictions will be introduced at the reserve, which gained fame from the TV series House of the Dragon.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said the changes aim to match other Anglesey beaches and reduce congestion while protecting wildlife.

The main beach, Airman's, and Cwningar car parks will adopt a new pricing structure of £5 for up to two hours, with 70p per additional 20 minutes, capped at £15 per day.

Overnight parking and camping remains prohibited, and those found in violation risk fines, NRW added.

While the pricing is changing for most users, free parking for Blue Badge holders and residents will remain in place.

Additionally, season tickets and discounted season tickets for Anglesey residents not eligible for free parking will remain at their current rates.

To reduce congestion and protect the environment, NRW said a trial over the May bank holiday weekend will block vehicle entry once car parks are full, with access reopening only after 16:30 BST.

Llanddwyn beach has long attracted visitors for its natural beauty, but problems around congestion have worsened since the reserve found fame as a filming location.

More than 40 residents attended a public meeting on 1 May to discuss the traffic problems.

One resident Geraint Thomas said matters had worsened in the past five years "because film crews from all over the world have been here".

He said the congestion was causing "road rage" and he was worried it was going to "get messy in the end".