7 August 2007

Setting an Example for the rest of us?

Caernarfon Online today received complaints by two members of the public about the blatant disregard of the law by a local councillor.

Mr Tecwyn Thomas who holds a seat on the Seiont Ward was seen cleaning a car on a public pavement outside his house on a busy main road in Caernarfon at Constantine Terrace. According to locals, Tecwyn Thomas who is also the Welsh Labour Chairman and a former Gwynedd Councillor, regularly parks his car on the pavement thus blocking the pathway.

This year Gwynedd Council started a new parking scheme in the county which is policed by Parking wardens. However there seems to be a flaw in the system which can be abused as the parking wardens do not have any authority to book cars parked on the pavement. Gwynedd council confirms that the Parking Wardens can only book vehicles parked on  yellow lines or similar 'no parking' areas.

Only the North Wales Police has the authority to book vehicles illegally parked on pathways and pavements.

This morning we received two complaints stating that they had tried passing the vehicle with a pram and had to use the busy road as bin bags were blocking the pavement on the inside.

By the time we arrived to take the photos, some of the bin bags had been removed, yet astonishingly the car was still parked on the pathway, in clear breach of the law.

Councillors should lead by example and Councillor Tecwyn Thomas is no exception.