E-bikes to combat parking problems

The well-highlighted parking problems at some of our favourite beauty spots are being policed by enforcement officers on e-bikes.

A pilot scheme to assess the usefulness of e-bikes by some Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board staff is already bearing fruit, according to the council who have used them at places like the crowded waterfall in Llanrhaeadr. 

The e-bikes have been purchased from Powys bike shops using funding from the Welsh Government and the council said it is already making a difference at Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall, where visitors had even been parking on residents’ lawns.

Damian Perkins, Lead Civil Enforcement Officer, said: “The road to the falls is quite narrow and on days where there are a lot of visitors it’s not uncommon to see gridlock, often due to people parking inconsiderately.

“My colleagues have been able to park their cars in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and then cycle the last four miles, using the folding e-bikes, to check for inconsiderate parking. If they'd driven up, they too would have been stuck in the traffic but with e-bikes they can easily get through to the source of the problem,” he explained.

“Our officers are not there just to issue tickets, they often find themselves taking on an educational role. Educating drivers on inconsiderate parking often works as a preventative measure to ensure the safer flow of traffic.”

PICTURE: The council's Civil Enforcement Officers are using e-bikes to navigate problem spots like the waterfall near Llanrhaeadr.