Police closed a major Peak District road due to the sheer number of badly parked cars. Officers said Winnats Pass between Mam Tor and Castleton was just one example where ‘selfish’ drivers had parked on either side of the road in the sub-zero temperatures.
It was a microcosm of a wider problem with hundreds of badly parked cars left along a number of the busiest roads in the Peaks. Derbyshire Police were forced to close Winnats Pass on Sunday (January 12) for safety reasons, saying those who had parked poorly risked being fined.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Double-parked cars have blocked the road, meaning that officers are going to have to close it properly for everyone’s safety. Those cars parked poorly will be receiving a fine – and those parked dangerously will be towed.
“Parking like this isn’t just an inconvenience, it blocks the way of ambulances and fire engines responding to potentially life and death emergencies. So if you were intending to travel to Winnats Pass today then you will need find an alternative place to visit and, when you do, please park appropriately.
“If you can’t find a space where you first intended to visit then don’t simply dump your car, your selfish actions could be the difference between someone receiving life-saving care or not.”
Derbyshire County Council said there’d been hundreds of cars double-parked along Rushup Edge and Man Nick over the weekend. A statement from the authority read: “Our gritters cannot get through, and our crews say there must be around 200 cars in the area.
“Please do not add to the problems on these roads, and if you are parked up in the area please move your cars to a car park. We realise that people want to enjoy the Peak District but this level of parking is making the gritters’ job very difficult. And if we can’t get through neither could buses, or fire engines.”