Coronavirus: Yorkshire Dales day trippers helped boost coffers

Visitors returning to a national park after lockdown restrictions were eased had an "extremely positive effect" on finances, a report has found.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority had revised its budget in May, fearing a number of services would be cut or stopped altogether.

But after car parks were reopened the same month, the park saw a sharp rise in visitors.

It comes after some criticised visitors for breaking social distancing rules.

The report said that since May the financial outlook had improved after the authority took a decision to reopen car parks and visitor centres considerably earlier than had been initially predicted.

Assumptions about reductions in planning fees due to lockdown also proved to be "over-pessimistic".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the authority is now forecast to have £350,000 of extra income for the year and there was "no emerging risk of a financial shortfall".

However, the authority has warned there remains "a considerable risk" to its finances due to the "rapidly changing situation".

The report is due to go before the authority's finance committee next week.

The authority closed its car parks in March in a bid to deter visitors.

Parts of the park also faced issues with litter and overcrowding, and signs were put up asking people to stay away.

Officials estimated that about 70% of visitors after restrictions were eased had never been before.

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