A Peak District beauty spot known for attracting thousands each year became overcrowded with tourists over the weekend due to “selfish” parking. Derbyshire police and Derbyshire County Council were forced to close a section of Winnats Pass and Rushup Edge on Saturday (January 11) and Sunday (January 12) after they became gridlocked due to irresponsible parking.
It is thought that people were heading to Mam Tor and The Great Ridge to capture some photos and take in the stunning wintery surroundings – but with a lack of 4x4s and winter tyres, it was never going to end well. Hope Valley Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team said nearly 30 vehicles were parked illegally at the top of Winnats Pass, 21 of which it said would be receiving a ticket.
Derbyshire County Council said that some cars even had to be towed away as a result of the poor parking. In an update on Sunday evening, a spokesperson for the authority said: “Winnats Pass and Rushup Edge at Sparrowpit End are now open after Derbyshire Police dealt with earlier issues resulting from poor and inconsiderate parking, with many cars either receiving tickets or being towed away.
“A reminder that it’s still very cold out there so please drive safely if you’re out and about. Our gritting teams have been out all afternoon and will be out again on the primary routes from 4am tomorrow.”
One cyclist managed to capture the chaos unfolding at around 1pm on Saturday. Italian-born Valerio Stuart, who has lived in Manchester for 11 years, said he saw abandoned vans and cars during his weekend ride around the national park, admitting it was “shocking” to see the way people were parking. He remarked: “I don’t often see snowy conditions in the Peak District, but poorly parked cars or traffic jams are relatively common.
“We pushed two drivers out of lay-bys as they didn’t have winter tyres. We saw abandoned cars and vans in the middle of the road in the Goyt Valley, and a campervan struggling to get out of the turning point next to the Broken Road. I’m not surprised by the number of people who flocked to the Peak District over the weekend, but it was shocking to see the way people parked.
“Parking in the Peak District is a nightmare which is why I always try to either cycle or take the train. Unfortunately, the railway service is extremely unreliable lately. On Saturday I took a train from Manchester and rode back. I love the flexibility given by public transport but cost and reliability of service are a massive barrier and part of the reason, in my honest opinion, why people keep using cars and even risk getting fined.”
He shared the two videos of his journey to his Instagram account @vale.stuart and his website, which quickly gained more than 30,000 views. During the video, he can be seen cycling from Rushup Edge to Mam Tor’s summit, and back down the other side towards Barber Booth.
It shows cars reversing as they try to manoeuvre around in the icy conditions before showing standstill traffic at the brow of the hill. A spokesperson for Derbyshire police said, commenting on the closure of the roads over the weekend: “It has come to our attention that there have been ongoing issues with illegal parking in the Mam Tor and Winnats Pass area of Castleton.
“Today, the local Safer Neighbourhood Team took action to address this problem. Upon our arrival, we were met with chaos as traffic was at a standstill in both directions. In order to clear the traffic, we had to temporarily close the top of Winnats Pass for approximately 20 minutes.
“This was necessary due to nearly 30 vehicles being parked illegally at the top of Winnats Pass, all the way to the junction at the top. Issues regarding vehicles parked on the main road leading to the Mam Tor car park have been raised by local residents.
“While most of the double-yellow lines were covered with snow and ice, parking in this area is dealt with by the council’s parking enforcement team. We understand that these incidents cause frustration for both residents and ourselves. Rest assured, we will make every effort to address these parking issues while managing all the other responsibilities we have.”