Our picturesque seaside town is being ruined by ‘selfish’ tourists – they’re clogging up our roads
LOCALS living near one of the UK’s most popular beaches have told of how their lives are made a misery by feral motorists.
Bournemouth beach was packed out during the summer as thousands of sun seekers pitched deck chairs down for the day.
But now residents who live in the streets leading down to the stunning beach claims day trippers are making their lives a misery.
They say that tourists are today so rude and impatient they flout parking laws and leave their cars anywhere they like rather than drive round for a legitimate space.
Some residents claim they are prisoners in their own homes at weekends as they access is blocked by illegally parked cars.
Some motorists seem happy to take a £35 fine for parking on double yellow lines if it means they are close to the beach.
This has led to cars parked either side of residential roads, leaving barely any space for an emergency vehicle to get through if necessary.
One local told how he was spat at when he told a motorist not to block his drive.
Chris Colledge, 65, lives in a flat on West Cliff in Bournemouth which is a short walk to the beach.
He said on hot days parking has become a free-for-all in the area.
He believes the problem is caused by public car parks being sold off for development and people being less patient post-Covid.
He said: “It was extremely bad last Saturday. I live on West Cliff and trying to drive home was really quite difficult because the traffic was bumper to bumper.
“Tempers were frayed where people were having to stop and wait for a space on double yellow lines, let alone find a legitimate space.
“People were frustrated because they couldn’t move.
“On West Overcliff Drive where there are double yellow lines, there were people parking where they liked just so they could get close to the beach.
“The problem is everywhere and I’m not sure what the answer is.
“There aren’t enough public car parks. It doesn’t help that a very large car park at Durley Chine Road has been built on with flats.
“We are seeing people who are prepared to get a £35 parking ticket for parking illegally if it means they get to park quickly and close to the beach rather than have to drive around for ages looking for a space or park further away.
“I think that since Covid people want to make the most of everything and have become too impatient.”
Maureen Telford, who lives near Durley Chine, said: “These drivers are a nuisance. They park over the gates in front of our driveway which is obviously an inconvenience. What if an ambulance needed to get in?
“It’s absolutely appalling. I would never dream of blocking anyone’s driveway but these people are just a law unto themselves.”
Robert Crane lives in a quiet cul-de-sac near the beach where there is free street parking.
He described the chaos caused on Saturday when thousands flocked to the seaside.
He said: “We live in a cul de sac that’s quite a narrow road and we suffer big time on busy days.
“We’ve lived here for 25 years and bank holiday and weekends like the air show people park illegally and block the roads.
“We have a white line to indicate no parking across our driveway and people just ignore it and block our driveway. We paid for it with our neighbours.
“We couldn’t have got out on Saturday, my car is too wide and people don’t leave enough space. One of our neighbours sometimes puts a bollard out but they forgot on Saturday and somebody parked there.
“People were driving into the road and then struggling to turn because there’s no passing places so all day long it was honking, shouting, screaming and cars backed up both ways.
“People get so frustrated they park with their nose in and the back end sticking out in the road. It’s a nightmare but what can we do?
“I approached someone last year and they got so aggressive. He spat at me. Thankfully I then had two burly gardeners backing me up and he drove off, but it’s a waste of time reporting it because nothing gets done.
“We’ve asked the council to put in a double yellow line but they won’t.
“We’ve resigned ourselves now to the fact we don’t attempt to go out on those busy weekends or if you do, don’t expect to get back in.
“The parking wardens don’t seem to bother checking our road. I have seen DVLA clamp untaxed cars.”
Steve Wilkinson, who lives near the beach, said: “Whenever it is really hot the traffic increases dramatically in this area.
“The main problem is people parking on the double yellow line on the inside bend, which is obviously dangerous and the pavement is particularly narrow on that side.
“Personally I don’t find it that much of a problem because I just don’t go out in the car a great deal when it’s busy but I definitely notice a lot of traffic and illegal parking.
“What surprises me is I very rarely see cars ticketed around here.
“I think the town is a victim of its own success.”
Another resident, who lives on East Cliff in Bournemouth, said their elderly neighbour found it very stressful and people had parked in her driveway before.
She said: “I haven’t had a problem with it but my elderly neighbour has. She gets very upset by it and people have actually parked on her driveway before but we’ve not had that.
“They do park on the double yellow lines here. There was a huge traffic jam outside the house on Saturday, we’ve never had that before.
“And I know the hotel had barriers installed because people were parking in their car park and they then had no parking for their patrons.”