Transport in national parks
With British beauty spots seeing an unprecedented level of traffic this summer, is it time to introduce measures like car bans and permit schemes? Hanna Lindon looks at the issues – and rounds up some car-free classic walks
SINCE THE START of the Covid-19 pandemic, images of parked cars snaking down Snowdonia’s Pen y Pass, blocking narrow Lake District roads and piling up by Peak District beauty spots have become synonymous with good weather.
The problem is escalating this summer as restrictions on foreign holidays drive a huge rise in UK-based breaks. The RAC has estimated that 29 million people will be motoring off on staycations before the autumn, potentially leading to “unprecedented” levels of traffic and “bumper to bumper” queues. Staycation hotspots identified by the organisation include Scotland and the Lake District.
Now campaigners are calling for a radical rethink of transport in national parks to reduce the numbers of private cars on the road.
Friends of the Lake District has asked the Lake District National Park and Cumbria County Council to urgently undertake a transport feasibility study. The group hopes that schemes implemented in other tourism hot spots – such as seasonal road closures and permit schemes – could help ease the pressure on congested Lakeland roads.
Congestion and disruption
Kate Willshaw, Policy Officer at Friends of the Lake District said: “We want as many people as possible to experience the sense of ‘escape’ that the Lake District has to offer but traffic chaos is off-putting for visitors and damaging for residents and businesses within the National Park. An informed discussion on transport for the future is long overdue.
“Traffic volume also has huge implications for carbon emissions. The
Lake District National Park Partnership and Cumbria County Council have both committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2037, and this cannot be achieved unless transport is addressed now. Transport accounts for nearly half of the Lake District’s total emissions.”
Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of the Lake District National Park Authority and Climate Change Lead for National
Parks England, said that moving towards more sustainable transport options is a priority for all our national parks.
“We encourage visitors to travel to and around the Lake District National
Park in as sustainable a way as possible,” he added. “People don’t want to spend their holidays sitting in traffic so we we’re looking at the best options to get people
out of their cars and off the roads.
“This summer we are trialling park and ride or park and sail initiatives in Keswick and Buttermere, and promoting various other options to get around the Lake District, like boats, bikes and walking routes.”
A wider problem
The issue isn’t confined to the Lake District. The majority of visitors to the South Downs National Park travel by car, generating at least 66 million trips per year. The National Park Authority has said that this “can cause congestion, disrupt tranquillity and, through carbon emissions, have a detrimental impact on wildlife and habitats” – and it’s calling on communities to apply for funding to promote the use of buses, trains, walking and cycling.
Suggestions include cycle parking, improved access for cyclists and walkers and initiatives that provide access to a bicycle. Meanwhile, the Cairngorms National Park recently announced plans to invest some of a £12.5m National Lottery grant in sustainable transport.
And, later this year, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park plans to launch a pilot scheme encouraging visitors to use e-bikes and public transport to get around the national park.
“Getting sustainable transport right can enhance the tourism offer of National Parks, reduce carbon emissions and alleviate traffic problems associated with congestion and parking,” says National Parks England. “Increased use of local sustainable transport options can also help maintain these services for local people living in the National Park to use and support the local economy.”
What might a solution look like to the growing traffic issues facing our national parks? Suggestions mooted by Friends of the Lake District include seasonal road closures, park and ride, permit schemes, shuttle buses, a road charge for visitors, public transport scheduling, pricing reductions, and active travel choices such as electric bikes.
Ultimately, the challenge facing local councils and national park authorities is to find a solution that addresses congestion without discouraging visitors to our mountains and green spaces.