Some of the UK’s most popular driving spots could be off limits next year as national park bosses consider banning cars from the Lake District and Peak District.
The beauty spots saw an overwhelming number of visitors last summer, as the travel restrictions abroad forced millions to take a staycation on British soil and now park bosses are considering restricting traffic as they look to battle congestion.
Great Langdale and Wasdale in the Lake District are believed to be on the hit-list, with a free shuttle bus already trialled at the busier periods last summer, speaking to the The Guardian, the Lake District national park chief executive Richard Leafe said: “It feels like we are at peak car. I want to see less reliance on it into the future.
“It cannot go on getting worse. Otherwise, it really will become too much to handle in our national parks. We need to see a shift to more sustainable travel.”
In the Peak District bosses are also keen to investigate a shuttle-bus system in an aim to discourage car drivers. The ‘hail-a-ride’ has been described as Uber but for buses by Park chief executive Sarah Fowler, who said: “It’s not a scheduled bus service, but you hail it using an app and it carries people from gateway sites in to the park.”
The Guardian reports that in Scotland, Loch Lomond are considering raising the price of their car parks to reduce demand, although they recognise that public transport needs to also improve.
“At the moment, it’s very unfair for us to criticise any car drivers enjoying the national park because we don’t have a system that provides many choices,” said Head of visitor services Kenny Auld.
“We’re working hard to quickly catch up and create a system that gives people choice and that’s inclusive, affordable and keeps people connected to the landscape.”