Emergency services and residents are steeling themselves for another weekend of traffic chaos in the North Lakes.
And once again they are urging visitors to the area’s tourist attractions and beauty spots to park responsibly, warning that “fly-parking” on narrow roads will inevitably lead to tragedy if ambulance, fire crews and mountain rescuers cannot get through.
Last weekend a combination of hot weather, the start of the school holidays and disruption to foreign travel saw the Lake District National Park swamped by visitors.
In popular areas such as Borrowdale, Bowness and Ambleside busy thoroughfares became impassable due to drivers leaving their vehicles parked at the side of the road instead of designated car parks and parking bays.
Amid reports of long tailbacks, cancelled buses and blocked ambulances, Allerdale police issued dozens of parking tickets.
A post on their Facebook page said: “Heartbreaking to see babies crying in hot cars stuck in traffic due to selfish parking.”
‘Only a matter of time before someone dies’
Meanwhile, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, who were forced to take a lengthy diversion in order to attend an injured walker on the fells near Grange, say it is only a matter of time before there is an unnecessary fatality.
“It was fortunate in this instance that the casualty had minor leg injuries,” said Chris Higgins of Keswick MRT.
“If it had been something life-threatening we might not have got there in time.
“The parking situation is a nightmare, and it’s getting worse.
“My message to these people who park irresponsibly is that it could be you left stuck on the mountain, injured, waiting for the emergency services to get through.”
With the heatwave set to continue this weekend, the message has been echoed by the emergency services in Cumbria.
Craig Drinkald, area manager for the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fire engines are up to three metres wide. Therefore if you’re parking your vehicle and don’t think a van could get through the space, it’s extremely unlikely that a fire engine will either.
“So please keep this in mind, especially on our narrow country lanes.
“Inconsiderate parking can cause unnecessary delays, and lost minutes really can mean the difference between life and death when we are responding to a serious incident.
“Every road user can help to avoid this by allowing enough room for us to pass.”
And a spokesman for Allerdale police warned: “If you park your vehicle and it is blocking a road, regardless of if there are yellow lines or not, then that is both dangerous and inconsiderate and you may be committing an offence.
“Roads need to be kept clear for emergency services to get through at all times and for other road users.”
Among local residents there is not only concern about parking, but growing anger at the anti-social behaviour of visitors.
Becx Carter, clerk of Borrowdale Parish Council, said: “The fact they don’t care about where they park is bad enough, but the mess they leave behind is unbelievable.
“It’s not just litter, I’m talking about human excrement. It’s as if they think the Lake District is an open-air toilet.
“I know we’re coming out of lockdown and people aren’t able to go on foreign holidays, but I’ve never seen anything like the numbers last weekend – and it’s going to be the same this coming weekend. It’ll be chaos all over again.”
Keswick councillor Tony Lywood said he’d received a letter from one resident in Watendlath claiming the traffic was the worst they’d ever seen.
“He said bus services were effectively suspended and there was a gap wide enough for only one car to pass through for a 200m stretch below Falcon Crag,” Councillor Lywood said.
“Of course we welcome all visitors – but we do expect them to park with respect and courtesy to other visitors and locals alike.
“The parking was so bad last weekend that emergency vehicles simply could not get down the valley. This is unacceptable.”
- Thanks to our friends at Lake District Radio for their interview with Becx Carter. Lake District Radio broadcasts all day, every day to listeners in Cumbria and around world from studios in Kendal and Windermere. Listen to the very best mix of music and chat online at www.lakedistrictradio.org, by downloading the LDR app to your phone, or by saying “Alexa – play Lake District Radio’.
