Thanks to those regular Glasbury-Hay users who have already completed our questionnaire about patterns of usage on the river – please keep these coming, since they’ll be helpful to Powys County Council as they progress with their Habitat Regulations Assessment. The questionnaire is available at the following link:
In the meantime, SWOAPG is continuing to provide information to the County Council about the Waterfall Country gorge-walking concordat, to help them consider whether an arrangement along similar lines might work at Glasbury.
Hay Public Launch / Landing Point
Representatives and Members of SWOAPG and AHOEC met with Hay Town Councillors on Monday 14th June to discuss issues with congestion at ‘The Gliss’ (the ‘official’ name for the public launch point at the end of Wyeford Road in Hay).
The Councillors confirmed that the launch point and informal parking area are both owned by the Town Council; that they have no desire to unnecessarily restrict launching and landing at the site; and that they recognised that parking (including abandoned vehicles) was currently causing problems for Providers. They agreed to look into the possibility of:
- putting up fencing or bollards to separate the launching and parking areas, to alleviate the congestion at the far end of the site;
- marking off ‘no parking’ areas either side of the entrance to the parking area, to help keep these clear for trailers to manoeuvre in and out of the site; and
- obtaining permission for providers to keep the verges and bushes trimmed around the launching area, to help maximise the space available for moving around and positioning kit temporarily.
We look forward to these measures being introduced, which we hope will go some way to resolving some of the current difficulties at the site without the need for further parking or access restrictions or charges.
However, the Councillors also expressed concern about the practices and behaviours of some operators which are having an adverse effect on residents and other users (including emergency service access to the launch ramp, which was re-built specifically to accommodate rescue boats) – especially since The Gliss has become much busier following the suspension of launching at Glasbury.
We therefore agreed with the Councillors that we would on their behalf request all Providers to comply with the following arrangements, with immediate effect – on the understanding that access could be withdrawn or restricted by the Council if these simple measures don’t work:
Arrangements for Providers using the launch & landing site at The Gliss in Hay-on-Wye
- Please treat local residents, other users and the site with the respect they deserve (i.e. behave responsibly and sustainably!).
- Please do not arrive on site before 8.30am (no more dropping-off boats at 6am, please!).
- Please don’t leave vehicles in the ‘launch area’ (trailers without wheel-clamps are fine, since they can be manoeuvred manually out of the way by other users if necessary – maximum one trailer per Provider, please, but not attached to a vehicle!).
- Please park as few vehicles as possible on site – take your own vehicles away whenever you can; and ask your clients to park elsewhere (e.g. shuttle them from your own sites or ask them to use the town’s main car park).
- Providers do not have permission to ‘carry on business’ from the site (i.e. please use it only for drop-off and pick-up, not as a venue from which to operate hire business!).
Please let us know if you have any questions or further suggestions regarding these arrangements.