DRIVERS have been banned from parking on certain roads in a UK holiday hotspot after causing severe congestion.
Cumbria council introduced new rules on Monday after “inconsiderate parking” clogged roads in one of the Lake District’s most popular valleys.
Cars seen lining the A591 near Grasmere in the Lake District[/caption]
Traffic seen passing through town centre near Ambleside[/caption]
Cars clogged the roads in Bowness on Windermere on May Bank Holidaye[/caption]
Vehicles will no longer be able to stop or wait along Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale and a stretch of the A591 near Ambleside.
Enforcement officers will patrol the area and deal £30 fixed penalty notices to anyone not abiding by the new measure.
Cumbria police issued a warning to motorists who had parked on white lines on the A5191, the Times reports.
As there is minimal public transport in the area, most of the Lake District’s 19 million yearly visitors arrive by car.
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Keith Little, a councillor and the cabinet member for highways and transport, said there has been a “huge influx” of tourists wanting to come to the area since the pandemic.
He said: “We have had situations in the past where firefighters have had to make their way to a grassfire scene on foot as their engine could not make it down.
“But our infrastructure was not designed to deal with that number of people.”
Mr Little said car parks become full so quickly so desperate motorists rely on parking on the side of the road.
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“Others will do the same but on the other side of the road, which then makes them virtually impassable.”
The Lake District National Park said that visitors were being urged to be cautious during very busy peak periods.
A spokeswoman said area representatives are working together to get people out of their cars.
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She said: “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.
“Last summer we successfully trialled a shuttle bus service at Wasdale and Buttermere, supported a discounted service at Ullswater, and park and sail at Keswick.”
Congestion is often seen in one of the area’s most popular valleys[/caption]