Better news round the corner for Whitby motorists after influx of visitors creates parking hell

A Whitby man has spoken of his frustration at being unable to park near his property after an influx of visitors saw traffic queuing to find a space in the town.
The closed park and ride has exacerbated the situationThe closed park and ride has exacerbated the situation
The closed park and ride has exacerbated the situation

Paul Dalgarno, who lives on the West Cliff said: “The parking permit system needs to be re-thought. People staying at hotels are currently able to park in the same bays as residents, leaving people like me struggling to park near our homes.

“It would make sense to use the Leisure Centre car park as a long stay option for guests staying at the weekend as it closes early Saturday, freeing more space for people who live locally.”

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“With the Park and Ride currently being shut, there’s just not enough room for everyone to park.”

There were no spaces on Royal Crescent this morningThere were no spaces on Royal Crescent this morning
There were no spaces on Royal Crescent this morning

A spokesperson for Scarborough Borough Council said: “Whitby has always been very popular with visitors of all ages. Since the easing of coronavirus restrictions visitors have returned to the town in large numbers.

“We expect this trend to continue now that the school summer holiday is in full swing.

“The ongoing impact of the pandemic also means that many people have chosen to change their holiday plans, signalling a significant increase in staycations.

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“The fact that people are returning is fantastic news for local businesses, which need people to spend money with them so they can start to recover from the devastating impact the hospitality industry has suffered in recent months.

West Cliff is a popular parking spot with visitorsWest Cliff is a popular parking spot with visitors
West Cliff is a popular parking spot with visitors

“We understand the concerns some local residents may feel about having their daily lives impacted by the return of visitors and we are doing as much as we can to help mitigate this.

“All our car parks are open and we continue to work with partners to manage the flow of pedestrians and traffic around Whitby, including road closures and one way systems for pedestrians in busy areas to aid social distancing.

“While the nature of the on-street parking system in Whitby means that getting a parking space directly outside your property can’t be guaranteed, our parking team is continuing to patrol residential areas to ensure that disc zones aren’t abused.”

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The situation has been exacerbated by the delay in opening Whitby’s Park and Ride. Ian Fielding, Assistant Director for Transport, Waste and Countryside Services at North Yorkshire County Council said: “We are planning to open the sites from August 1.”