Fine bank holiday weather attracts the crowds - but brings traffic chaos to Barry Island (From Barry And District News)

Fine bank holiday weather attracts the crowds - but brings traffic chaos to Barry Island

12:20pm Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News By Chris Seal

MANY of the New Year’s Day swimmers - and local residents - were stuck in traffic gridlock as they tried to get on and off the Island on Tuesday).

With the fine New Year's Day weather, thousand of visitors flocked to the beach, but many faced a three-hour wait to exit the car park and make it back across the causeway.

Craig O’Shea, who owns O’Shea’s Takeaway and Restaurant on Barry Island, said the gridlock had caused ‘chaos’.

"With cars bumper to bumper searching for precious car parking spaces, tempers were flaring," he said.

"The one and only car park was full, as was every residential street.

"With the mixture of people trying to get off the island and more trying to get on, with nowhere to park, the place came to a standstill.

"It highlighted the importance of a second road being built sooner rather than later, plus the need for a multi-storey car park to cope with the ever-growing popularity of our beautiful resort."

Police set up on Harbour Road in a bid to control the traffic entering and leaving the Island.

A spokesman said: "Police attended to assist in the flow of traffic from Barry Island.

"It was the sheer volume of traffic. We would like to thank people for their patience."