A review of tourism signage on the A55 will be carried out after concerns that Llandudno’s attractions had been erased from roadside signs.
The town – Wales’s most popular holiday resort – did have its attractions promoted on brown signs next to the westbound carriageways near junction 19. But one was blown away in a storm and another removed and a new sign erected promoting attractions in the Conwy Valley.
It means there are no signs highlighting some of the town’s key sites for travellers heading into north west Wales at the junction, which links with the A470.
READ MORE: Former Gwynedd hotel has price cut in bid to find a new buyer
Nick Jowett, the manager at Great Orme Mines in Llandudno, raised the issue with Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders. She took it up with Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy in Wales.
The current A55 signage at Junction 19 that highlights the attractions of Conwy Valley but not Llandudno (Image: Google maps)Now Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, has written to confirm a review will start this month to identify missing signs and action taken to address this in the current financial year.
Mr Jowett said: “We know how important tourism is for Llandudno and so many people travel along this road.
“Having brown signage showing some of the key attractions can give people a reason to turn off and show them some of the sites we have in the town. The more people that come the more everyone benefits too, like restaurants and cafes.”
Mrs Finch-Saunders said: “That a brown sign on the main road that brings tourists from across the world to Aberconwy was blown down almost a decade ago and not replaced goes to show how ineffective the Welsh Government is at supporting our tourism sector.
The A55 signage at Junction 19 back in April 2011 – with attractions in Llandudno highlighted (Image: Google maps)“It is also unacceptable that Welsh Government officials seem to have decided to replace a brown sign with details of attractions in Llandudno, with one only highlighting locations in the Conwy Valley.
“As I made clear to the Minister for Economy, we should have brown signs promoting the amazing experiences on offer in both the Conwy Valley and Llandudno.
“Tourism’s value to the local economy in Conwy is estimated to be worth £887.62million. This is thanks largely to the tireless work of the private sector. The least the Welsh Government could do to help them is provide brown signs guiding guests to exciting experiences.”
Read More Related Articles Production to start this summer at 100 job cheese factory on Anglesey Read More Related Articles Clogau ‘saddened’ as Welsh band left out of pocket after advertising firm collapsed into administrationMinister, Mr Waters said: “We are aware the damaged tourism sign for Llandudno attractions was removed. We have instructed our Agent, The North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA) to assess the tourist signing provision for eligible attractions in Llandudno, including the signing provision for other eligible attractions along the A470.
“NMWTRA have advised that their supply chain will commence the review in April. The review will identify any missing signs and inform the development of a tourist signing strategy, to ensure consistency of tourism signing on the trunk road approaches to junction 19 of the A55 at Llandudno.
“The aim is to install the tourism sign updates at A55 junction 19 in the 2022/23 financial year, subject to the availability of funding.”
Read More Related Articles Former Gwynedd hotel has price cut in bid to find a new buyer Read More Related Articles North Wales biogas fuelling station tipped to get green light