VISITORS to an Abergavenny beauty spot will have to fork out £3 to park in a new car park.

The National trust has opened a 50-space car park for walkers visiting the Skirrid Mountain on the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Work to construct the car park finished last week and will mean that visitors no longer need to park in a 15 space lay-by on the Abergavenny to Skenfrith Road.

The Trust built the car park with the support of Monmouthshire council and Llantilio Pertholey Community Council.

Councillor Bryan Jones, the council’s cabinet member for highways said: “Having listened to concerns from the local community we have acted to avoid accidents caused by inappropriate and potentially dangerous parking.”

In 2013, Monmouthshire council painted double yellow lines on the road in a bid to stop people parking there and the National Trust took the decision to ask the owner of the adjacent land if it could purchase a narrow strip on which to build a new car park.

Parking at the Skirrid has been an issue raised by the community council, police and highways for at least 20 years due to inadequate space and cars parking along a dangerous section of the road and blocking access.

The pay and display machine will cost motorists £3 for cars and £6 for camper vans and minibuses, but will be free to National Trust members.

The cash will go towards maintaining the car park, footpaths and woodlands around the Skirrid, which cost the charity thousands of pounds every year to maintain.

The National Trust’s countryside manager for the Brecon Beacons and Monmouthshire, Joe Daggett, said: “We are delighted the new car park at the Skirrid is now fully open and so many people are using it.”

“This will allow everyone who enjoys this beautiful location to do so without the concern of finding a safe place to park. Revenue created from the car park will enable us as a charity to continue looking after the site, footpaths and woodland around the Skirrid and keep this part of the countryside special for everyone.”