Plans being drawn up to tackle Peak District parking

Both Winnats Pass and Rushup Edge, near Castleton, were shut by police due to driver parking on both sides of the road

Plans to tackle problem parking in parts of Derbyshire's Peak District are being finalised, with a consultation due to begin in the summer.

Police closed multiple roads in January, including Winnats Pass and Rushup Edge near Castleton, due to "selfish parking".

The closures followed reports of "about 200" parked cars blocking gritting lorries and emergency services trying to respond to an injured walker near Edale.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: "We are aware of the issues with parking in Castleton and have been working on a package of parking restrictions with Castleton Parish Council."

"We are currently consulting other stakeholders to refine these proposals before we undertake a public consultation in the summer," the spokesperson added.

Cars were parked on both sides of Winnats Pass, near Mam Tor, in the early hours of 18 January

Speaking in February, Peter O'Brien, who represents Hathersage on Derbyshire Dales District Council, said the Peak District attracted between 13 and 24 million visitors each year but the infrastructure was "not designed for this level of demand".

"With multiple landowners, interest groups and councils each acting in isolation, there is no joined-up strategy to take on the challenge posed by the growth in visitor numbers since Covid-19," he said.

Shortly after the parking issues in Castleton were highlighted a Peak District National Park Authority spokesperson said it recognised "the strength of feeling" shared by many communities affected by increased visitor numbers.

They added members of the authority's senior team were engaging with all relevant agencies and landowners to arrange discussions to understand what might be possible as a "strategic, partnership approach to tackling the issues".