Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Eddie Bisknell
Parking restrictions and fines introduced on roads around a Peak District tourist hotspot have brought in thousands of pounds, with calls for more work to be done.
In May, Derbyshire County Council laid the area’s first red routes, double red lines which indicate no stopping at any time, either side or on the lines.
These were installed on roads around the popular hiking and tourism hotspots of Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton on the Old Mam Tor Road, Rushup Edge Road and from Winnats Pass to Sparrowpit.
This followed years of issues caused by visitors parking their vehicles either on existing double-yellow lines, on the verges or in the road, in a bid to avoid paying to park or to secure optimum vantage points.
Parking had led to emergency vehicles and gritters being unable to pass during particularly significant bouts of unlawful parking.
The county council has now told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that so far the red routes have seen 161 penalty charge notices issued, bringing in a total of £4,600 in fines.
Fines for parking on red routes are £70 per vehicle or £35 if paid within two weeks.
Councillor Charlotte Hill, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We introduced the county’s first ever red routes in Castleton to help improve road safety, keep traffic moving and ensure emergency vehicles can get through when needed.
“Since they were introduced, we have issued 161 penalty charge notices, resulting in fines totalling £4,600.
“While enforcement forms part of the scheme, our main aim has always been to encourage safer and more considerate parking.
“We believe the red routes are helping to address some of the parking and congestion challenges experienced in Castleton, but we recognise it is important to keep listening to residents, businesses and visitors.
“We will continue to monitor the scheme closely, including any impact it may have on surrounding roads and whether parking is being displaced to other locations.
“In introducing these measures, we’ve worked to balance the needs of local people, businesses and visitors to this beautiful part of our county and their feedback remains a key part of our assessment of its longer-term success.
“We would like to thank Castleton Parish Council for their help to develop the proposals, and the patience of the wider local community and businesses.”
Asked if the council would consider adopting other areas of the county as red routes, Cllr Hill said: “Castleton is currently the only location in Derbyshire where red routes have been introduced and while this is something we may consider for other areas facing similar challenges in the future, there are no definitive plans to introduce red routes elsewhere in the county at this stage.”
Castleton resident Stuart Cox, better known locally as the Peak District Viking, observed what he described as “total carnage” on the infamous windy, steep route of Winnats Pass over the weekend, caused by six cars parked on the route, which already has banned parking via clearway restrictions advertised at each end.
He said parking issues had visibly improved since the red routes were brought in, but said some “determined and entitled idiots” continued to park there regardless of restrictions.
Mr Cox, a chartered engineer who has lived in Castleton for five years, said: “There has been a big difference, particularly on the Old Mam Tor road out of the village near the ticket machine, towards the broken road.
“There are still people parking on the red routes but it doesn’t seem as bad. You do get people, like I saw at Winnats Pass, parking for a picnic or to take photos.
“You still get the odd idiots. I have heard people saying they will just pay the fine if they get one instead, if you can split it between five or six of you in a vehicle and pay early.
“The fines could be higher and the signs for the clearway in Winnats Pass could be better.”
So far, the actual Winnats Pass section through the winding gorge to Castleton, internationally famed among cyclists and to welcome the Tour de France Femmes next year, is not a red route.
It is a clearway, which already means no stopping is allowed, but Mr Cox says this is rarely enforced and says not enough motorists know what it means, citing a lack of education.
He said the issue of installing red route restrictions on Winnats Pass had been raised by officials previously and hoped they would lobby again.
County council officials had previously spoken about installing large boulders on road sides around Mam Tor to prevent any off road parking, but said this would be costly and would involve private land use and permission required from the Peak District National Park.
Mr Cox said: “Some people are still determined enough or entitled enough to park where they like but it has improved.”
Alongside the red route restrictions, a restriction of parking for up to four hours maximum were also installed at the lower end of Old Mam Tor Road between 9am-5pm.
The council had said: “Outside these times the bays are free to use and unrestricted. We’ve done this to encourage shorter stays, to help more people stop and use the facilities nearby in Castleton.”
Mr Cox says this has led to people staying in the area for shorter periods of time, which he feels has impacted local businesses.
