THE decision to introduce pay and display machines along the Colwyn Bay promenade is still causing anger a year later.

Colwyn Bay residents said they would boycott parking on the seafront if the parking machines were introduced.

But Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) said the number of people parking on the Colwyn Bay promenade remained unchanged despite it no longer being free to park there.

A CCBC spokesman said: “We do not believe the introduction of charges on the promenade has had a significant impact on parking habits.

“In excess of 30,000 motorists have paid to park in the charged area of the promenade since April 2018.”

But CCBC councillor Abdul Khan, of the Glyn electoral division, said he remained “bitterly disappointed” with the decision and people in the area still raised the issue.

Cllr Khan, who is also council chairman, said: “Of course they will say that [parking numbers haven’t changed]. They are picking on Colwyn Bay.

“You look at Llandudno and from the Washington to Craig-y-Don it is free and it is always full of cars.

“I am still bitterly disappointed with the decision, it just seems they are picking and choosing.

“People against it are still complaining.”

He said it was the tourists that made the numbers look good, while Colwyn Bay residents were turned off parking in their own town.

Cllr Khan added: “It is not just about the tourists, the local people used to use it too.

“Tourists pay one time and that’s it. We have made a nice promenade and then the council go and make people charge to park there.

“People used to go and park on the prom and then go for a walk, run or take the dog on the beach, but now they have to find somewhere else to go.”

He said the regeneration of Colwyn Bay, with the increase in new businesses and the council offices, was also having a knock-on effect for residents who usually parked on the streets of Colwyn Bay.

The first round of pay and display machines were installed at the beginning of last year from Rotary Way to the Colwyn Bay pier, before a second phase was installed to The Toad in August.

Three machines were installed in November between The Toad and the junction with the Cayley promenade on the Colwyn Bay side, which looked set to be the third phase of installations.

But CCBC said, while an extension of paid parking is planned, these machines were installed “in error” and are still sitting there idle.

The Mayor of Colwyn Bay, Cllr Stephen Williams, said he understood it was a tough decision for CCBC to make, but there needed to be a balance for residents as well.

Cllr Williams said: “Tourists have no problem in paying because of the facilities they get for that money.

“But the problem is going to be during the day with local people. They are losing more and more parking spaces and it is getting harder to park in Colwyn Bay.”