More measures to enforce beach vehicle ban

Zach HarrisonLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLDRS Three vehicles parked on some grass in front of a pebbled beach. The closest is a white van, with a white car in the middle and black car in the distance with people around it. The sky is calm and the sea can be seen in the distance.LDRS
A removable bollard will be installed to prevent cars driving onto the beach

Measures to stop motorists driving their cars onto a beach have been approved by a council.

Sandy Gap beach in Walney, Cumbria, has recently had vehicles driven on to it from Sandy Gap Lane, despite a no entry sign.

Plans to install a removable bollard and related signage at the access point on to the beach were put forward and have now been given the green light by councillors on the Furness Locality Board.

The move comes after numerous complaints about people camping and leaving waste behind.

At the meeting on Wednesday, a Westmorland and Furness Council highways officer took representatives through the proposals, which aim to prevent people driving onto the beach, other than emergency services and other officials who need to access it.

News imageLDRS 'NO ENTRY' written on the road in white letters. There is also a red stop sign further down the road. To the left there is a bordered up brick building with metal fences in front of it.LDRS
Councillors said people were ignoring the no entry signs

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, Labour councillor Frank Cassidy, of Walney Island ward, said: "We have had no entry signs, and it has been painted on the tarmac, and those measures have been ignored.

"People just drive on through and damage the beach environment.

"These measures should fix the problem."

The plans will come as part of an environmental traffic regulation order, meaning they will initially be in place for six months.

The restrictions will then be assessed as to whether they should become permanent.

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