The proposals by Carmarthenshire Council are to start charging for car parks on Seaview Terrace and at the railway station in Burry Port, on Station Road and Glan-yr-afon in Kidwelly and Eva Terrace in Ferryside.
Parking has historically been free at these car parks.
An online petition by Kidwelly county councillor Lewis Eldred Davies urging the council to reverse the charging decision has reached over 1,600 signatures in just one week.
Backing the petition is fellow ward county councillor Crish Davies, and Burry Port county councillors John James and Shelly Godfrey-Coles. Kidwelly Town Council has also backed the petition, with Town Mayor Cllr Carl Peters-Bond speaking out against the car park charging proposals.
Cllr Lewis Davies says: “These proposed charges will have serious and far-reaching consequences for residents, visitors, and local businesses. Moving from free to paid parking will discourage tourism, disrupt communities, and harm the local economy.
“Inevitably, many people will try to avoid these charges, leading to increased on-street parking in residential areas, congestion on local roads, and potential safety hazards.
“Moreover, in the current financial climate, it’s essential to consider how these charges will disproportionately affect residents with limited mobility. Many rely on these car parks daily – sometimes even multiple times a day – to access essential services, socialize, and participate in community activities.
“Local businesses, which depend on tourism and visitor footfall, will suffer as people choose to visit destinations with free parking instead. The lack of any viable strategies to address these concerns further highlights the flaws in this proposal.
“The initial expenditure for installing payment machines, coupled with ongoing costs for maintenance, processing, and accounting, raises concerns about the effective use of council funds. Is the projected revenue from parking fees sufficient to justify these expenses?”
(Image: Kidwelly Town Council)
Cllr Davies continues: “A simple cost-benefit analysis would show that maintaining free parking in these areas is the better long-term option for the community, economy, and environment.
“When the residents of Burry Port, Ferryside, and Kidwelly were last consulted they strongly opposed this plan.
“We urge Carmarthenshire County Council to listen to the voices of residents and visitors and scrap these damaging plans immediately.”
Kidwelly Town Council has also urged the county council to abandon the charging plans, with the council recently unanimously voting to write to Carmarthenshire’s cabinet expressing their concerns.
Kidwelly Town Mayor, Cllr Carl Peters-Bond said: “The introduction of parking charges at Glan-yr-Afon and Station Road car parks flies in the face of all the good work the county council has done in partnership with the town council to boost the town’s economy.
“The proposals are ill thought through and we urge the county council to reconsider.”
The petition runs until the 12 May, after which it will be debated by a full council meeting of Carmarthenshire Council having already crossed the threshold of 300 signatures.
(Lead image: Kidwelly Town Council)
