A LLANDUDNO road race which saw hundreds of athletes flock into the town has been slammed by Internet users who claim road closures caused “utter chaos”.
The return of the Llandudno 10 race on Sunday saw runners tackle a 10-mile course which included Gloddaeth Avenue, Mostyn Street, the promenade and roads around Craig Y Don, forcing roads to be closed during the morning and early afternoon.
Some motorists were outraged by the road closures and voiced their anger on social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook and online forums.
Administrator of the Three Towns Forum, Dave R, wrote: “It’s utter chaos in town at the moment - nobody has any idea which way they are supposed to go by car. Roads seem to be closed entirely at random, people are just driving around trying to work out which way they are supposed to go. This race, without a doubt, has been very badly organised.
“Looking at the race route, you do have to wonder how anyone thought it could not cause major disruption in the town. There certainly needs to be a major rethink before any similar race is allowed again.”
But despite an element of anger over road closures, the event saw a swell of support from spectators on the day.
David Williams of the Llandudno Hospitality Association said events like the Llandudno 10 were “essential” in order to keep Llandudno on the map.
“They are becoming increasingly more important to our tourist industry, because people do have various interests. They show the resort off in a good light.
“There might have been some slight inconvenience for some road users, but what a fantastic sight to see hundreds of runners come down our promenade like I saw on Sunday. There has to be some pain to get some gain.”
Mr Williams confirmed he “fully supported” similar town-wide activities, such as the upcoming Wales Rally GB event in November, and said they provided a boost for business.
He added: “Whenever there is an event you get people coming in with their family and friends, who may not have visited Llandudno otherwise. It's good for hotels but also other businesses such as retail and restaurants and cafes.”
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Were you annoyed by the road closures? Or do you think events like the Llandudno 10 are essential for the town? Have your say by commenting below.