Good News for Pontypridd’s Early Bird Shoppers

Great news for early-bird shoppers in Pontypridd as the recently announced trial of amendments to parking restrictions in the town centre come into effect on Friday 11 March. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Shoppers who need to enter town to load and unload can now do so by using the loading bays in the town centre between the hours of 9am – 11am. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In recent months, traders and local Assembly Member Mick Antoniw and Member of Parliament Owen Smith, called for these amendments to parking restrictions in Pontypridd to be trialled. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the trial Rhondda Cynon Taf will determine whether or not to make the changes permanent based on feedback received. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The changes are aimed at providing greater flexibility for early shoppers to park and load within the town centre. Following constructive meetings with traders who form part of the Business Improvement Partnership ‘Your Pontypridd’, the changes to the current parking restrictions will come into effect from Friday 11th March 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Council has developed a strong working dialogue with the ‘Your Pontypridd’ partnership around how we can all work together to re-establish Pontypridd as a premier shopping destination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following a number of discussions around how amendments to traffic management and parking arrangements in the town could support the local economy, the temporary amendment to the current parking restrictions to allow loading up to 11am will come into effect on Friday 11 March. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is hoped that these amendments will provide greater flexibility for shoppers who may wish to only visit the town first thing in the working day to purchase one or two items. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Council is keen to do whatever it can to support Pontypridd as a town centre and shopping destination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As Leader I am keen to maintain this positive dialogue with ‘Your Pontypridd’ to take the town forward. These small changes hopefully demonstrate what can be achieved when we work together and follows on from the success of other initiatives such as the “through at three” scheme.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These changes will see the Council change the existing traffic orders applicable between the hours of 7am and 11am under an Experimental Order, to relax the degree of control to allow the current limitation of loading by goods vehicles only (vehicles over 7.5T) to be extended to include loading by any vehicle. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The main Pontypridd thoroughfare will be closed to motorists from 11am to 3pm Monday to Saturday. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​