WITH the holiday season fast approaching, authorities in Gwynedd are urging everyone wanting to visit popular attractions to plan ahead.

High numbers of people are expected to visit the county's communities in the coming months.

Preparation work has taken place and Gwynedd Council is working closely with North Wales Police and Snowdonia National Park to urge people to act responsibly when visiting the county’s communities.

Dafydd Williams, head of Gwynedd Council's environment department, said: "Over the last few years, we have seen high numbers of people visiting popular spots here in Gwynedd.

“We encourage people to plan their visit and activities in advance; to use the appropriate car parks and take advantage of the opportunity to use the available bus services to explore the area.

"For example, the Sherpa bus service runs regularly connecting popular routes around Yr Wyddfa.

“This will allow people to park their vehicles in the appropriate car parks before enjoying the mountains and other popular local attractions.

"As a council, we work closely with North Wales Police and Snowdonia National Park to monitor parking trends.

“Staff from all authorities work together to keep the public safe and we ask residents and visitors to bear this in mind when visiting the area and treat them with respect and kindness at all times.

"We ask motorists to respect the parking restrictions and keep the roads clear and safe - in the past there have been instances where cars have parked illegally and which made it very difficult for emergency services vehicles to pass.

"Staff from North Wales Police and Gwynedd Council, who now have powers to tow vehicles away, will pay particular attention to the Eryri area.

"Our message is for motorists to park sensibly, but if necessary, we will take appropriate action to remove vehicles that park illegally for public safety."

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Inspector Arwel Hughes of North Wales Police added: "We welcome people to the area but ask the public to plan their visit in advance.

“I also urge the public to take advantage of the additional measures now available to reduce parking problems and ensure the safety of everyone in the area.

"The police will continue to work closely with Gwynedd Council and will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of everyone where necessary."

Emyr Williams, Snowdonia National Park Authority chief executive, added: “The Snowdonia National Park Authority’s vision is for visitors to plan ahead and visit Eryri in responsible and sustainable ways.

"There will be an increase in the bus services for the peak season in the most popular areas which we will strongly promote on our online channels.

“We are placing sensors at all our car parks around the foothills of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) so potential visitors can make informed decisions as to which area they wish to visit, and have a backup plan if car parks are at full capacity.

“The Authority are also employing additional seasonal wardens this year whilst the highly enthusiastic groups of Yr Wyddfa, Cader Idris and Caru Eryri volunteers will assist with litter picks and general advice for visitors.”

If you are unsure of car park locations, useful information is available on Gwynedd Council's website at www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/parking: a significant number of the council's car parks also offer a 'Paybyphone' app payment method on the phone.

Information on Snowdonia National Park car parks is available on their website www.eryri.llyw.cymru.