West Windermere Way: Traffic 'chaos' blamed on parking fees

The hotel car park next to the West Windermere Way footpath incurs a £30 charge for six hours

Parking fees at a Lake District beauty spot have led to "chaos" with cars left "all over the place" as drivers seek to avoid the charges, a resident claims.

The Swan Hotel and Spa car park, next to the West Windermere Way footpath, has a maximum £30 charge for six hours.

It is refunded if over £10 is spent at the venue but some have refused to pay and parked-up for free elsewhere.

Resident Judith Wren said an ambulance "struggled to pass" busy routes at Easter. The hotel has not commented.

Motorists are charged £7.50 for up to two hours parking and £15 for up to four hours. The maximum stay is six hours.

'Spoiling days out'

Mrs Wren, who lives close to the hotel, at Newby Bridge, Ulverston, said the usually quiet location was filled with a "cacophony of horns" during busy tourist times.

"We have vehicles randomly all over the place, it just makes life very difficult and a little unsafe I think for lots of people," she told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"People have been getting a little bit angry and an angry driver is obviously not something we want, it doesn't make for free-flowing traffic and it's spoiling people's day out."

She has called for the hotel to lower its parking charges for non-visitors or even them between guests at the venue.

The Lake District National Park Authority said the "best way" to reach the new route was by bus, boat or bike, with motorists advised to park at Lakeside car park or catch the ferry from Fell Foot.

The hotel has not responded to requests for a comment by the BBC.

Contractor Smart Parking said it did not set the prices and it is managing a private car park.