Education Service Traffic Management

The National Park is Park and mid-mornings and late down, with recorded increases an area of outstandingly beautiful afternoons can be exceptionally being largely confined to main and varied landscape and the busy. In recent years, the rate of roads such as the A591. scenery is the reason most people increase of traffic has slowed give for visiting the Lake District (62%, 1994 All Parks Visitor The Lake District National Park

Survey). Caldbeck The Lake District remained relatively isolated until the 19th PENRITH century when new railways allowed the large urban populations of A66 Northwest to visit the area easily. Both trade and early tourism flourished. In the 1940s, it M6 was recognised that areas such as A591 Shap the Lake District would benefit Seatoller Grasmere St. Bees from some kind of special N Wasdale protection. The Lake District was Langdale Waterhead designated a National Park in 1951 Eskdale Staveley to conserve and enhance its special Ravenglass Coniston landscape while providing Roads B5284 opportunities for the public to Railways enjoy that landscape. At this time, Broughton-in Traffic Counter - Furness it was expected that “walkers, Towns & Villages A590 cyclists, riders and students of nature” would be the main users of National Park 16 the National Park rather than 0 kilometres motorists, although National Parks were intended for all to enjoy. Table of Traffic Flow at Waterhead, . A591 Since then, car ownership has Year 1981 1992 1997 1999 increased and now the vast majority of visitors come by car. Average number of 9600 13500 14600 14700 Today, over 12 million people visit vehicles per day the National Park annually (staying for 22 million days) while Source: County Council, Transport and Policies 1999/2000, and Local 42,000 people live in the National Transport Plan 2001/2-2005/6 Park. 89% of visitors come to the Monthly Traffic Flow, Waterhead, Ambleside, A591 National Park by private motor vehicle. Source: Lake District Transport Strategy Implementation Plan: Stage One 2000-2005. The Lake District National Park 20000 Authority (LDNPA) and (CCC) have a 15000 number of automatic traffic counters around the National Park 10000 to help understand traffic 5000 Flow movements. Traffic is greatest (Vehicles) during the summer months when 0 most visitors come to the National Jan Mar May July Sept Nov and concerning the Annual Average Daily Traffic Flow impact of these closures on the 2500 tourism trade. 2000

1500 The Lake District Traffic Management Initiative 1000 The Lake District Traffic Management Initiative (LDTMI) 500 was set up in 1993 as a partnership

Number of vehicles in 24 hours 0 between Cumbria County Council 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 (CCC), the LDNPA, Cumbria Year Tourist Board (CTB) and the Countryside Commission (now the

Haweswater Langdale Mungrisdale Wasdale (Galesyke) Countryside Agency). The initiative was to run for 3 years, to ‘progress the development of solutions to Source: LDNPA traffic counters traffic and transport issues in the National Park’. Traffic Issues transport and traffic is that demand should be managed in order to: Large volumes of traffic can lead to a Aims of the Lake District Traffic number of issues, especially in an • Minimise its impact on the Management Initiative area like the Lake District where landscape roads are often narrow. • Improve the quality of life for IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO local residents THE NATIONAL PARK TO ALL • Improve the quality of enjoyment PEOPLE ENSURE THAT • POLLUTION: Motor vehicles ENABLE LOCAL REGARDLESS OF THE NATIONAL for visitors COMMUNITY INCOME OR PARK REMAINS emit various pollutants which may TO GO ABOUT DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE ITS NORMAL FOR QUIET reach high levels in certain • Encourage use of sustainable BUSINESS ENJOYMENT means of travel weather conditions, especially MAINTAIN THE TOURISM REDUCE TRAFFIC within towns. INDUSTRY AND IMPACT ON THE ASSIST IT TO ENVIRONMENT The policies of the LDNPA are set BECOME • NOISE: ‘Peace and Quiet’ is often SUSTAINABLE given as a reason for visiting, so out in the Lake District National Park Management Plan. These OFFER this is an issue, especially when ALTERNATIVE REDUCE TRAFFIC MODES OF AND PARKING clearly state that increasing road TRANSPORT TO CONGESTION considering development. THE CAR GENERALLY TAILOR TRAFFIC capacity is not an appropriate TO THE ABILITY • VISUAL INTRUSION: Lines of OF THE EXISTING solution to traffic management in the ROADS TO COPE parked cars can detract from the National Park. Instead, traffic natural beauty of the National management policy is to tailor traffic Park. to existing roads. • CONGESTION: Congestion can In 1995 the LDTMI produced a report “Traffic in the Lake District” be a problem in certain areas and A balance of interests is needed and a consultation document “A towns at peak times of day and between the purposes of the Road Classification for the Lake the year. National Park, local people and District”. These outline a revised • REDUCING VISITOR TRAFFIC: visitors to ensure the special qualities road classification for the Lake Traffic Management aims to of the National Park are not District defining a purpose for each minimise the impact of traffic and compromised. For example, in 1966 road in terms of the type of traffic it encourage visitors to use public the Lake District Special Planning carries, the speeds that are transport rather than private cars. Board published a “Report on appropriate and the destinations PARKING: A balance needs to be • Traffic in the Lake District National served by each road. The documents found between provision of Park” suggesting that in the future it received little support from the local parking for visitors and locals and might become necessary to restrict community, tourism and motoring impact on the landscape. all except local traffic along interests, as many believed that the • HAZARDS TO VULNERABLE secondary routes. Objections were ideas would result in restricted ROAD USERS: Walkers, cyclists raised by local residents of Langdale access. and horse riders should be at ease on the roads in the Lake District. Actual and perceived hazards to these road users should be minimised.

Traffic Management in the National Park The guiding principle underpinning the policies of the LDNPA towards In parallel, the LDTMI was and Ride’ car park sites. It also stated aims as the LDTMI, and its considering local solutions to traffic proposed that the National Park be purpose is to implement “A Strategy issues that could be used as pilot divided into traffic management for Transport in the Lake District”. schemes in the National Park. areas in which studies could be This document, published by CCC Schemes adopted include speed carried out and Area Action Plans and approved by the other partners, control on Crook Road (B5284), agreed. sets out policies regarding transport ‘Access Only’ restrictions on Under and traffic management. The LDTS Loughrigg Lane near Ambleside, the retains the LDTMI emphasis on to Keswick Cycle Route and The Lake District Transport consultation at the core of the the Elterwater Restricted Parking Strategy approach to traffic management. Zone. The Lake District Transport The Lake District Transport Strategy Strategy (LDTS) is the direct is the basis for all work on traffic In 1996, the LDTMI produced a successor to the LDTMI, and management in the Lake District report of its work. It recognised the continues the partnership between National Park. need for a number of research CCC, the LDNPA, CTB and the studies, including a study of traffic Countryside Commission (now the Area Action Plans flows, cycle usage and a study of Countryside Agency), along with the An important part of the Transport potential National Park fringe ‘Park local district councils. It has the same Strategy has been the production of Area Action Plans looking at local Case Study: ELTERWATER RESTRICTED PARKING ZONE solutions to traffic management issues. Area Action Plans are produced by Traffic Working The Elterwater Restricted Parking Zone is part of the LDTMI. Elterwater is a Groups made up of local popular small village at the entrance to the Langdale Valley and it was under a representatives. Proposals are then lot of visitor pressure. Parking congestion within the village meant that the bus published for consultation. The first was often unable to pass. four Area Action Plans to be OBJECTIVES: initiated cover Keswick and District, • Prevent parking where it causes congestion the Lakes Parish, Windermere and • Prevent parking where it causes erosion of grass verges Bowness, and the Lyth Valley. There • Prevent parking around village green to preserve traditional aspect will be 14 Plans in total. • Promote better use of peripheral car parks • Address speed by use of advisory speed limits Case Study: KESWICK • Address needs of local people by providing permit holder parking AREA ACTION PLAN • All signing to be sympathetic to the landscape The Area Action Plan for Keswick undertook a consultation exercise ACTION TAKEN: in 1999. A number of options were The National Trust carried out improvements to its car parks, enlarging its put forward and opinions village car park by 7 spaces and the Lane End car park by 9 spaces. It also researched by questionnaires placed boulders on road verges through Elterwater Common, complementing delivered to each household. Some the Restricted Parking Zone. of the suggested schemes have already been trialed, for example A Traffic Regulation Order introduced in April 1996 included: the town centre will be 1.Creation of a Restricted Parking Zone, providing: 11 on-street spaces (one pedestrianised on a temporary, for disabled people) with waiting limited to 2 hours between 9am to 6pm; basis for 6-18 months in spring 2 on-street spaces with waiting limited to 20 minutes 9 am to 6pm; and 8 2001. Work has also begun on permit holder spaces for locals. reducing traffic impact in rural 2.New village signs with 20 mph advisory speed limit. areas of the Keswick District. 3.Improved signing of peripheral car parks. Speed limits in Borrowdale and St Johns in the Vale may be RESULTS: introduced as long as this does not Surveys were carried out to assess the success of the scheme in 1997. These lead to too much sign supported the observations of local people that the management measures proliferation. were generally successful at achieving the objectives. However, measures did not work well around the village green. Timing restrictions were exceeded and parking was seen away from marked spaces (due to demand by patrons of the Alternatives to the Car Britannia Inn). The parking signs were occasionally subjected to vandalism. One of the aims of the LDTS is to They did not fit in with the rural landscape and special sign designs for “provide alternative modes of sensitive areas were considered necessary. transport to the car”. In the National Further suggestions made in the report were to consider: Park, public transport services 1) Providing 2-3 parking spaces in front of the Britannia Inn. include buses, trains, ferries and 2) Relaxing restrictions overnight and in mid-winter. taxis. The National Park Authority produces leaflets about days out by The scheme was supported by the Police, Langdale Society, Parish Council, sustainable transport. These show Stagecoach (local bus operator) and the National Trust. what linear walks and attractions can be linked with bus services and ferries. The guides are being local demand for this service. CKP A New Deal for Transport: expanded to cover more activities Railways plc is raising funds to Better for Everyone and services. continue to develop this proposal. The Department for the Buses are seen as the major form of Transport Gateways Environment, Transport and the public transport into and around the Regions (DETR) published a White National Park. It is difficult to The idea behind transport gateways Paper “A New Deal For Transport: provide frequent bus services in is that visitors would be able to drive Better For Everyone” in July 1998. remote rural areas such as the Lake to a transport gateway and travel This identified the main issues about District. The LDNPA encourages further into the National Park by transport in Britain. It gave the use of public transport by public transport. These would bring proposals for reducing dependence providing up to £10,000 to subsidise the “Park and Ride” concept to the on the car, improving public 5 summer visitor bus services (2001). National Park. Several sites for transport and tackling pollution. These are generally Sunday and transport gateways have been These aims are similar to those of school holiday services to help proposed and are being consulted the Lake District Transport Strategy. visitors travel to popular walking on. For example, the DETR document destinations. In winter 2000 the states that, ‘For all environmentally LDNPA supported 4 bus services at Possible sites for Transport sensitive areas or sites there will be a a cost of £10,000. The Langdale Gateways to the Lake District strong presumption against new or Rambler was sufficiently successful National Park expanded transport infrastructure following initial funding that it no which would significantly affect such longer requires LDNPA support. sites or important species, habitats or landscapes.’ Cycling is another form of transport that is actively encouraged by the The White Paper requires that local LDNPA. Cycling and the provision authorities produce a Local of cycle routes are seen as being Transport Plan, setting out strategies important for visitors and residents for transport. In the Local Transport of the National Park. It is hoped that Plan 2001/2-2005/6, produced by cycle paths will encourage cycling to Cumbria County Council, targets for work and school. The development the Lake District by 2005 are: of the Kendal-Keswick cycle route is • An annual rate of traffic growth underway and it will be part of the to 2006 of 0% National Cycleway Network. The • To increase public transport Kendal to Windermere and usage by 15% from 1999 levels Thirlmere to Keswick sections are • To increase services on the complete. A consultation exercise is Windermere Branch railway line underway about the route from to half hourly Windermere to Ambleside along the • To introduce hourly public busy A591. This will be a difficult Source: LDTS transport gateways transport services to link main section to develop satisfactorily consultation document settlements, attractions in the owing to the terrain and existing National Park and other Braithwaite Fold Car Park in property development. approaches to the National Park. Bowness-on-Windermere is one option that would allow people to The only railway link into the Forecasting traffic growth has travel further into the National Park National Park is the line from proven extremely difficult. The on public transport as well as to Windermere, success of the current traffic relieving pressure on traffic and although the management measures will take time existing car parks in Bowness. has stations in the Park. The LDTS to determine and this will influence how much traffic management and the Area Action Plan for A proposed “Park and Ride” scheme intervention will be necessary in the Windermere and Bowness proposed at Kendal Fell, on the border of the future. The LDNPA hopes that a enhancements to the Oxenholme to National Park, is aimed at Kendal balance between conservation and Windermere line by improving links commuters but will be available for access will be found so that visitors with public transport, a passing loop National Park visitors on Sundays. A and residents can continue to enjoy to allow more trains to run and trial is proposed to test interest in the special qualities of the Lake direct trains to more destinations. the scheme before spending money District National Park. on new buses and facilities. The railway from Penrith to Keswick was closed in 1972, and investigations Another location closer to the M6 at © Lake District National Park Authority, Education Service, into reopening the line are ongoing. Milton (Junction 36) would need to Lake District Visitor Centre, It has been forecast by CTB and be in partnership with the private Brockhole, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1LJ others that an ‘all day every day’ rail sector to be economically viable. It is Web site: www.lake-district.gov.uk service between Keswick and Penrith thought that visitors would be more Copyright waived for classroom use would attract up to 410,000 likely to use a Transport Gateway if Alternative formats passengers each year in addition to it were close to the National Park. available from 015394 40800