Charges issued over illegal parking at beauty spots

Hundreds of motorists have been hit with charges for parking illegally near three popular Peak District beauty spots.

Derbyshire County Council said said the action was needed to keep traffic moving and prevent damage to grass verges near Mam Tor, Edale and Castleton in May.

It said 378 penalty charge notices were issued to offenders.

Drivers who parked over or beside double yellow lines, or on grass verges, were given fines of either £70 or £50, depending on the offence, the council said.

Councillor Charlotte Cupit, the authority's cabinet member for highways, said: "When we get complaints and concerns, we target those areas.

"Particularly over bank holidays we are aware Peak District beauty sports are busier so we need to make sure access and safety is maintained."

Money generated by the fines goes towards providing car parking and enforcement, the council said.

Ms Cupit added: "There is lots of car parking available and I would urge people to use public transport whenever they can."

Bus company Hulleys of Baslow says its vehicles often struggle to pass illegally parked cars.

A spokesman for the firm said: "People also park at the side of the road where there are double white lines in the middle of the road.

"We sometimes have to ask the police to come out to help us."

Posting a video online of several cars with tickets at Mam Tor, near Castleton, on 18 May, Rae Cooper-Wright said: "[There were] yellow tickets as far as the eye could see. Rightly so as well.

"Me and the dog were forced to walk on the road because of idiotic parking, just off Old Mam Tor Road."

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