Bristolians love a good hike around the countryside - and one of our favourite places to venture to is Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales situated in the Brecon Beacons.
To get to the Brecons ready to begin that famous hike, most of us will choose to drive - and park for free - meaning it's a free day out that much of the family can enjoy (usually no matter the weather). But soon anyone climbing Pen y Fan - and using the Pont ar Daf car park - will be charged £7.50 for the privilege, something some have branded an "entrance fee" to Pen y Fan and a hidden extra cost.
According to reports from Wales Online, The National Trust, which owns the Pont ar Daf car park, has announced plans to charge drivers a flat free of £7.50 to park there once work to extend and redevelop the site is complete. One of the most popular car parks to use for those climbing Pen y Fan - and sitting adjacent to the main A470 between Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil, it'll be quite a sum especially for those who enjoy it for free currently.
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For those who are members of the National Trust, however, you won't be required to pay the fee.
Work is preparing to start in order to transform the car park and add some 200 more spaces. Major improvements during the summer and autumn of this year will create more disabled parking spaces, toilets with disabled access and baby changing facilities, as well as electric vehicle charging points.
What's more, there will also be parking for minibuses, coaches and cyclists, as well as an area for the emergency services and other similar users of the Beacons. Improvements are also set to be made to signage, footpaths and information, so as to allow for people to better plan their day.
But some have dubbed this new parking charge as an "entrance fee" to Pen y Fan, calling it an extra hidden cost to what has been a free day out for many over the years. Alan Kearsley-Evans, general manager of National Trust Cymru Brecon Beacons and Gower, said: "These planned improvements have long been needed and will transform the visitor welcome at Pont ar Daf which is at the foot of this iconic mountain.
"Improving the car park is a key part of our work in looking after the Brecon Beacons, caring for the land around Pen y Fan and for the network of over 70km of footpaths so that thousands of people can continue to enjoy walking in this area.”
Concerns have been growing around the safety of the main road as drivers will also choose to park on the roadside, which some believe is also damaging the environment of the national park. In previous years Dyfed-Powys Police and Brecon Beacons National Park have urged drivers to consider using another car park in order to climb Pen y Fan.
At weekends there is a reduced speed limit in the area and the National Trust aims to finish the work being done to the car park by winter 2022, saying that disruption to the current car park would be "minimal".
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