Matlock Bath Parish Council has called on members of the coach industry to back its quest to see currently closed coach parking spaces in the town returned to their intended use.
That provision on Station Road has instead served for almost two years as a “tolerated” traveller site. Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) is presently carrying out a public consultation on possible future pitches for the travellers concerned, one of which is the coach parking area in Matlock Bath as a formal temporary location.
The Parish Council thus wants support in getting as many of the 1.1 million annual visitors to Matlock Bath to respond to the consultation, which closes on 22 September, to support its bid to have the affected spaces returned to their original purpose.
It is also asking the coach industry and its stakeholders to sign a separate online petition to DDDC to urgently restore Station Road car and coach park to its proper function and to take all possible precautions to ensure that it is only used by tourist traffic, residents and rail passengers in the future.
Use of space there as the tolerated site for travellers means that many prospective visitors no longer stop in the village. Many businesses in Matlock Bath “rely on visitors for their livelihood and have been struggling,” the Parish Council says in a statement.
In comments that are notably supportive of the coach industry, the Parish Council adds that coaches “are an eco-friendly way of transporting large numbers of visitors” and cause less congestion and pollution than cars.
“This type of travel should be promoted by local authorities, not blocked. The lack of parking results in congestion on the main A6, especially at the junction to the car park, and long queues and tailbacks. This causes frustration to other road users and is hardly eco-friendly.”
To complete the DDDC consultation, click here. To sign the Matlock Bath Parish Council petition, click here.
