Emergency vehicles impeded by cars parked near beach

Calls for more parking to be provided at a popular beach have been made after residents said parked vehicles along local roads impeded emergency services responding to an incident.

Residential roads in Formby were gridlocked on Bank Holiday Monday after the beach car park quickly filled up.

Footage shared online showed emergency crews struggling to battle through traffic at about 15:30 BST after being called to concerns for the safety of a 15-year-old girl on Formby Beach, who Merseyside Police said was taken to hospital.

Sefton councillor Lynne Thompson called for more parking, as residents said "shocking" traffic had "choked" roads. The council said 700 fines were issued across the weekend.

There were also traffic problems at Crosby and Ainsdale beaches. Car parks were unable to cope with demand and cars were left blocking driveways, parked on the pavement or on yellow lines.

Formby resident Julie Swift said the "shocking" traffic problems were caused by people parking illegally on yellow lines along narrow residential streets in the town.

"I've never seen anything like it, and we've lived here all my life," she said.

"People were just dumping their cars anywhere they could. They actually said, 'I'll take the risk of getting a parking ticket. What is it, £35?'"

She said while the Sefton coastline was actively marketed as a place to visit, the local infrastructure could not cope during holiday periods when the weather was warm and sunny.

"I actually feel very sorry for the people who have come and had an awful day because they've been sat in their cars for hours on end," she said.

Another local resident, Kevin Dunne, lives off Kirklake Road.

He said the gridlock had extended into residential streets.

"The roads were choked with cars - it was impossible to get in or out," he complained.

"The main road, Kirklake Road, around every junction, they were parked all over the pavements, on both sides of the road."

There were also similar parking problems in Ainsdale over the bank holiday weekend.

Vehicles parked on pavements, including along Chatsworth Road, after the car park was filled.

Local councillor Lynne Thompson has called for more car parking spaces to be provided near the beach.

"Ainsdale is an amazing day-trip destination - the beach is just unbelievable," she said.

"But we're not set up for visitors in [the] numbers that came yesterday."

In a statement Sefton Council reminded people who visited the borough's beaches during the warm weather to act responsibly.

"Inconsiderate and illegally parking on residential streets near to beaches can make pavements unusable and inaccessible for some," a council statement said.

"It could also prevent emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines from reaching incidents at the beaches themselves and in local people's homes."

Mark Shaw, Service Manager for the Council's Green Sefton service also encouraged visitors to plan ahead and to remember the area will be busy, that parking is limited and to consider using public transport.

"We appreciate large numbers of people all wanting to travel at the same time can lead to delays," he said.

"As with any busy destination or event, it's about doing a bit of planning ahead and exercising some patience."

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