FRIENDS of the Lake District is calling for a change to transport in the area.

Following incidents where cars have parked across verges, the organisation is keen to tackle traffic volume in the area.

Kate Willshaw, policy officer at Friends of the Lake District, said: “We want as many people as possible to experience the sense of ‘escape’ that the Lake District has to offer but traffic chaos is off-putting for visitors and damaging for residents and businesses within the National Park. An informed discussion on transport for the future is long overdue.

“Traffic volume also has huge implications for carbon emissions. The Lake District National Park Partnership and Cumbria County Council have both committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2037 and this cannot be achieved unless transport is addressed now. Transport accounts for nearly half of the Lake District’s total emissions.”

Recently, emergency services were unable to attend two incidents in Wasdale and on Wastwater because of dangerous parking on the single-track roads.

With this in mind, Friends of the Lake District believes a study conducted by the Lake District National Park and Cumbria County Council is urgently needed.

The study would ‘look at all possible options for reducing the numbers of private vehicles on the roads, whilst ensuring that everyone is still able to access the National Park via improved public transport, active travel and other more sustainable services.’

Residents with concerns about transport issues in the Lakes are now being urged to share them to the ongoing 'National Park Partnership Plan Consultation'.

The consulation can be found at: www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/national-park-partnership-plan-consultation