Cornish locals blast ‘free for all’ parking in tiny village and warn someone could die
CORNISH locals voiced their fury over "free for all" parking by tourists in the tiny village of Flushing that is making life "hell".
The quaint village, located across the River Penryn from Falmouth, has been overrun with cars dangerously parked on the only road in and out of the area.
[caption id="attachment_15719726" align="alignnone" width="960"]
John Symons, the chair of the parish council, revealed the problem has been going on "more than 40 years."
“There is only one road into and out of here because it is a dead-end and it is very narrow so you can imagine the problems," he said.
“The police say they can’t do anything and the traffic wardens are thin on the ground because they have a huge area to cover.
"At the moment it’s a free for all."
Mr Symons went on to say that an ambulance or fire engine would rarely make it to the far end of the village because of the amount of cars parking on the narrow main road.
Flushing has also been constrained by restrictions because of its location in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to a Special Conservation Area.
It gets worse every year.
Local Sue Popplewell
Sue Popplewell, landlady of the Seven Stars pub in the heart of Flushing, said: “I’m not going to mince my words - it’s an absolutely bloody nightmare parking here.
“There just seem to be so many visitors, probably because this is the summer of the staycation, but it gets worse every year.
“It’s got to the stage where so much traffic is trying to get in and out it can get gridlocked at times. And then tempers get frayed.”
Fisherman Pete Laity, 58, said: “The situation is ridiculous.
“It takes me longer to get back into the village after work as it does to get out to some of the spots where I fish.
“If you get a lorry and a bus in the wrong spot at the wrong time then you can be stuck for absolutely ages.
“It’s only a matter of time before we have a serious accident in the village. That’s what it will take to get something done.”
'ALL PARKING IS FREE'
Matters came to a head earlier this week when a local company Falmouth Holiday Homes and Flushing Holiday Cottages highlighted the village’s free parking as a sales attraction.
A statement on its website proclaimed: “Many Cornish villages have become overcrowded with tourists.
“But Flushing is much quieter, even during peak season, and it still benefits from a strong and vibrant community.
“Unlike Mevagissey, Fowey, Padstow, St Ives and similar towns, parking is usuall6 available, and all parking is free.”
And some locals have said that the problems began when big companies told day-trippers in ads that all parking was free of charge, even during peak times.
Now tourists are dumping their cars on the side of roads before heading to destinations including Falmouth, where parking is expensive.
Yesterday, the offending post appeared to have been discretely removed from the firm’s online page.
PLAN IN PLACE
A proposal has been made to the council by the long-suffering locals who say a sheep field at the top of the village is up for rent.
“It could provide spaces for up to 100 cars," Mr Symons said.
"Then we would put up a No Traffic Beyond This Point sign and make the village residents only parking.”
Work on the latest proposal started in September 2020 and after a series of residents meetings, an application for planning permission is about to be submitted.
Mr Symonds said: “Nothing is guaranteed though. Cornwall Council has refused us permission for plans before but this is a last throw of the dice.”
Tens of thousands of Brits will be heading to the coast for their holidays as the UK's traffic light system puts off those who would usually travel abroad.
Tourism chiefs in the county fear being overrun during the break as families turn away from traditional holidays in the sun.
On Monday, Malcolm Bell of Visit Cornwall told Good Morning Britain anyone coming to visit should take a Covid test.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
And he warned it's in "everyone's interests", adding: "The virus is in Cornwall and the south-west.
"You might be on holiday and taking a break, but the virus isn't."