INCONSIDERATE parking in the Lake District has brought frustration for paramedics and councillors alike.

A Cumbrian paramedic recently asked the public to park considerately when visiting the Lake District as a job in Keswick saw the North West Ambulance Service park one mile from the patient.

Cumbria Roads Police were needed to get the ambulance moving as visitors’ cars were blocking their path to the patient in need.

A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance Service said: “We received a 999 call at 04:24 this morning to attend a person who’d fallen ill at a summer solstice gathering at the stone circle at Castlerigg, Keswick.

“However, access to the site was blocked by dozens of cars parked up along the single track road leading to it, forcing the crew to request police support and walk nearly a mile carrying a stretcher to get to the casualty.

“Fortunately, the patient was able to be treated and discharged at the scene. However, the delay could have been critical to their welfare as the call handler had graded the incident as requiring a Category 2 response.

“We urge visitors to think twice about where they park their cars when stopping at rural locations like this. Blocking the roads could have severe consequences for them or their families and other people, should they require an emergency services response.”

County councillor for Keswick Tony Lywood called for an Eco Charge on vehicles from outside the area.

He said: “We have a vision of what it’s going to be like in 10 to 15 years time if we don’t do something now.”

He said that the aim is not to deter people from coming to the Lake District but to “discourage two tons of tin and metal clogging up our roads.”

Explaining the Eco Charge he said: “It’s levied on every single vehicle that enters the area that is not registered in the Local Authority of Cumbria.

“Every private car that enters the Eco Charge area will have to pay.”

The Labour councillor believes that rather than reduce the number of people coming into the county, Cumbria should be reducing the number of vehicles in the area.

“What we really need is a better infrastructure of buses coming into the Lake District.”

He added that there is a precedent for the Eco Charge. Birmingham has already introduced the legislation.

“Mark Drakeford (First Minister of Wales) has already announce that he’s going to do this. I don’t think the National Parks in Cumbria should be behind the curve. They should be in front of it.”

“You can already do it, the Transport Act of 2011 allows it to be done.”