Visitor parking restrictions in popular Northumberland coastal village to be discussed

Restrictions on visitor parking in a popular Northumberland village could be explored.
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Alnmouth Parish Council has been seeking to find a way of relieving parking problems and traffic congestion in the village during peak periods.

The issue was put in the spotlight last summer when there were high numbers of day trippers and ‘staycation’ holidaymakers due to Covid-19.

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A suggestion of a three hour maximum stay for visitors has been mooted by the highways department at Northumberland County Council.

Northumberland Street in Alnmouth.Northumberland Street in Alnmouth.
Northumberland Street in Alnmouth.

Parish councillors are keen to look at the idea in more depth and have invited highways officer Richard McKenzie to their next meeting on January 12.

"It would stop people parking their cars in the village and walking up to Boulmer or Craster for the day,” said Cllr Mac McHugh. “They would have to go down to the car park.

“But, as we know, no matter what the parking situation, on a busy summer’s day the car park is rammed and the village is rammed.

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"It would be nice to create more parking in the village but we are still going to come across the same problems with the number of vehicles.”

Looking from Church Hill across to Alnmouth. Picture by Jane ColtmanLooking from Church Hill across to Alnmouth. Picture by Jane Coltman
Looking from Church Hill across to Alnmouth. Picture by Jane Coltman

Members also want to find out whether there are any potential car park locations.

Three sites – one near the bridge, another at the bottom of Garden Terrace and a third at Dr Joy’s – were suggested in a parking survey carried out by the parish council.

Chairman Shaun Whyte said: “We need to find out which parking areas are available and knock them on the head if there is no possibility.”

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Cllr McHugh added: “We have discussed this with county on numerous occasions, such as opposite the club and the two-pronged exit from the village at the top of Northumberland Street where extra parking could have been provided. It seems to have fallen through the cracks. They have put the black tarmac down and yellow lines and walked away.”

Meanwhile, it was reported that an alternative traffic calming scheme next to Hipsburn Primary School is now being prepared by the council council. A chicane-style build-out had previously been planned.

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