Cumbria County Council cracks down on bad parking in Lake District

Cumbria County Council has introduced a temporary traffic order, which prohibits people from stopping, parking and unloading on roads in popular areas including Great Langdale, Elterwater and Ambleside, to try and avert congestion ‘mayhem’.

A staggering 90 per cent of the national park’s 19 million visitors travel by car.

And the area has seen the issue of poor parking and severe congestion snowball with a surge in people visiting the Lakes since the pandemic.

The Lake District sees high levels of congestion every summer

Cumbria Police has issued a warning to drivers after the A591 in Ambleside at Waterhead, near to Jenkins Field, was ‘obstructed’ by cars parked on solid white lines.

The force urged people not to ‘abandon’ their vehicles.

Read more: Police issue warning after cars ‘obstruct’ main road in Lakes town

“We are urging motorists to use dedicated parking facilities and parking areas and not abandon vehicles and cause obstruction,” said a spokeswoman.

And the North West Ambulance Service has warned drivers to ‘think twice’ about where they park their cars as blocking roads could result in devastating consequences for patients.

“We urge visitors to think twice about where they park their cars when stopping at rural locations like the Lake District,” said a spokeswoman.

“Blocking access to roads could have severe consequences for a patient, their families and other people should they require an emergency response.”

Read more: 'Problem is not going away'-Group calls for study into congestion tax scheme

The Lake District National Park, which has worked on schemes to encourage people to use their cars less in the park-including shuttle buses and a discounted park and sail scheme, said it continues to work with partners to get people ‘out of their cars’.

“We continue to encourage visitors to travel to and around the National Park as sustainably as possible. Fewer cars on the roads means people are making an important contribution towards a net zero Lake District by 2037,” said a spokesman.

“There are several areas within the National Park that become very busy during peak periods.

“We’re working with partners, communities and landowners to look at the best options to get people out of their cars and consider alternative ways to move around the park.”

Cumbria County Council’s order prohibits any vehicle to wait at any time, on any day and to load / unload at any time, on any day as follows:

• Great Langdale, both sides of the U5527, from its junction with the B5343 to a point in a southerly direction to the cattle grid near Wall End Farm.
• Great Langdale, both sides of the U5528, from its junction with the B5343 to a point 60m in a northerly direction.
• Great Langdale, north side of the B5343, from its junction with the U5527 to the eastern side of Stickle Ghyll Bridge.
• Great Langdale, south side of the B5343, from its junction with the U5527 to the eastern side of Rossett New Bridge.
• Great Langdale, south side of the B5343, from a point approx. 52m from the eastern side of Rossett New Bridge to the eastern side of Stickle Ghyll Bridge.
• Elterwater, both sides of the B5343, from a point approximately 120m east of its junction with the U5525 for a length of 55m in an easterly direction.
• Ambleside, both sides of the A591, from a point 284m south of its junction with Borrans Road for a length of approximately 435m in a south easterly direction.Emergency vehicles struggle to get past cars parked on the side of roads

Clerk for Lakes Parish Council Charlene Iredale said the council welcomed the move.

“The council welcomes the road restrictions as bad parking has a major negative impact on local residents who are going about their daily business and prohibits the free movement of emergency vehicles and buses,” she said.

“With visitor numbers rapidly increasing, local residents are worried that things might get worse over the next few weeks during the school holidays.

“Will it work? We hope so. Will it suit everyone? Absolutely not.”

Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said he hoped the measures would help prevent ‘mayhem’ for other road users.

“There have been a number of issues on these routes in recent years, and our first priority must be public safety and ensuring our road network is safe, reliable and accessible for local people and for tourists visiting this beautiful area,” he said.

“It is vital that we are able to identify solutions that ensure the accessibility of bus services and emergency vehicles, as well as promoting sustainable travel by prohibiting vehicles from parking on roadsides and causing mayhem for other road users.

“I am hopeful that these measures will result in a much-improved travel experience, whilst ensuring access for emergency vehicles and so that important bus services are able to run on time, and without obstruction.”