Cars towed from ‘beach’
ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES ARE BLOCKING ACCESS ON NEARBY ROADS
CARS parked illegally at a popular ‘hidden beach’ have been towed away.
Gaddings Dam, on the outskirts of Todmorden, in West Yorkshire, has been crowded with people in recent days following sunny weather and a relaxation of the lockdown rules.
But locals in the area have said people driving to the beauty spot have been causing chaos on the roads.
Residents said many drivers have been seen parking on double yellow lines on nearby Lumbutts Road, as well as blocking access for larger vehicles such as buses or emergency service vehicles.
Following complaints, traffic council officers and police towed a number of illegally parked vehicles away and issued drivers with fines.
Councillor Susan Press, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said: “We will not tolerate the breaking of social distancing or parking rules, as it puts people’s safety at risk.
“Our Community Safety Wardens and Civil Enforcement officers are patrolling throughout Calderdale. They have issued and will continue to issue fines where people are parking irresponsibly.
“Wardens continue to engage with people to help them understand the lockdown rules. If people do not comply, officers will advise and warn if necessary, and legal action may be pursued where there is no other option.”
She added: “Lockdown and social distancing rules are still in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, which will be present for some time.
“We must all stay at home as much as possible, and keep a safe twometre distance from other people when we’re out.
“This remains the most important thing we can all do to protect the NHS and care homes and save lives, and I’m pleased that the vast majority of local residents are doing this.
“However, it is very disappointing that a small minority are putting others at risk, and I urge them not to do so.”
A traffic warden also posted images of officers at work on Twitter and wrote: “Parking illegally at Gaddings Dam has resulted in cars being taken away. Lots of tickets given out by parking services and police.”
There were also reports the beach area was left a mess over the weekend. According to a post on the Gaddings Dam Facebook page broken glass and bottle tops were left on the sand. The post said: “The beach was a mess today after a weekend of unwelcome visitors. It took a long time to find and retrieve all the broken glass and bottle tops.
“It was especially difficult to remove the remains of the fire they lit on the beach on Sunday - the scar in the sand will remain as a testament to just how ignorant and thoughtless some people can be.”