AN Aberporth councillor has suggested Ceredigion County Council traffic enforcement officers would be better deployed in coastal villages during the hectic summer months rather than patrolling local towns.

Cllr Gethin James wants the local authority to consider a whole new approach to the issue of illegal parking, claiming the current system is under-performing.

Cllr James made his remarks after Aberporth community councillors agreed to urge Ceredigion council to send parking enforcement officers to the village over the summer following complaints of cars parking on double yellow lines, blocking access and creating a hazard for emergency vehicles.

They said that not only were cars clogging the village roads, they were also parking on the beach – ignoring prominent signs forbidding the practice.

“Before the de-criminalisation of illegal parking, members of the public who felt there was an issue could simply call the police,” Cllr James said.

“Nowadays, when enforcing traffic orders is the local authority’s responsibility, we don’t appear to have a system in place that would address such concerns.

“If, say, Tresaith is absolutely jammed with cars there should be a telephone number available for people to call a County Hall officer.

“The police can only get involved if there’s an obstruction.

“I believe the county council need to deploy their parking enforcement officers outside of the towns during the holiday season.

“At the moment they just stay in Cardigan patrolling the car parks when it would be far better if they were in seaside villages at the weekend."

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