Thousands get bank holiday parking fines at resort

A seaside council issued 2,844 parking fines over the bank holiday weekend as visitors flocked to beaches during the soaring temperatures.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said that despite empty car parks within walking distance of the beach, many visitors continued to park illegally.

Penalty charges are £50 or £75 depending on the offence and are halved if paid within 14 days.

The authority previously more than doubled parking fines as part of a trial to deter illegal parking, which it said had been effective.

Councillor Jeff Hanna said the authority had asked the Department for Transport (DfT) for permission to do the same again this year but had not yet heard back.

A DfT spokesperson said: "We're considering evidence from last year's trial in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area and will respond in due course."

The council has also highlighted the pressure on local services during busier periods, with about 2,000 tonnes of waste left on the area's beaches each year.

It said teams worked "tirelessly" along 15 miles of coastline after the spring bank holiday to keep it clean and safe.

Despite 250 bins along the promenade and early morning collections from 04:00 BST, thousands of tonnes of waste are removed each season.