Residents have once again hit out at the parking and travel chaos at Dovestone Reservoir. The Oldham beauty spot is incredibly popular with people travelling from far and wide to walk around the reservoir and in the surrounding moors.
However, Saturday's good weather led to the car park filling up early, as frequently happens every summer, with motorists taking up any space in the surrounding roads and lanes as a result. In previous years marshals have been brought in to control the traffic, with many people being turned away, while at other times dozens have been slapped with fines for parking their cars on grass verges or blocking residential lanes.
This is a familiar sight for residents who live nearby who often raise concerns about the risk of BBQs and parking on tight lanes blocking access when crowds flock to area.
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And they have today told the Manchester Evening News the situation is a 'nightmare' again this weekend due to drivers coming to the volume of vehicles arriving at the beauty spot.
They claim there are no wardens in place and they have been 'shouted and sworn' at when approaching motorists.
Louise Donnelly, who lives nearby to the reservoir, shared a video with the MEN showing the area packed with cars parked in any space possible while her and other neighbours did their best to try and get people to park considerately. "Me and the neighbours are trying to get everybody to move from here but there is lots and lots of cars and they are starting to park down the lane. There are no wardens on," she says.
"We are telling people to move in-case we need to get the emergency services through. However, we are getting shouted at, sworn at, and it's the same story all the time. Something really needs to be done about it because it's getting out of hand.
"We are trying to do our best, we have got a few neighbours down here trying to shoo people on but it's just not having any effect at all."
Louise says she is going to move out of her home and away from this area due to this recurring problem.
There is parking for around 125 vehicles at the Bank lane and Binn Green car parks. However, people travel from all over the northwest and from Yorkshire to visit the reservoir, meaning these spaces are gone very early in the day.
Another local resident, Kenneth Bennet, added: "Local residents groups have been fighting this for the last five years, there are lots of problems. There are no security or parking marshals here today despite everyone knowing how the weather was going to be.
"You can't move for traffic around here on days like today. The emergency services can't get through it's that busy, but nothing ever changes.
"The reality is it's a nightmare for people living here. The motorists are breaking every rule in the book."
A United Utilities spokesperson said “We have been made aware of issues at Dovestone Reservoir, caused by the improving weather over this weekend. We remind all visitors to park considerately when visiting the recreation site and to be respectful to the local community and environment”.
The reservoir is owned by United Utilities and managed by RSPB in partnership with them.
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