ANDREW Thomas talks all things Westmorland...

The Lake District is beautiful at any time of year but this week, with the bright, crisp weather and autumnal colours still visible, it has been particularly stunning.

However, despite the amazing scenery, there are many deep-rooted issues which are causing concern and crying out to be tackled.

BBC presenter Simon Reeve has been shining a light on some of them during his series The Lakes with Simon Reeve.

Sunday’s episode featured glorious views of Buttermere, Derwentwater and Wastwater, but did not focus purely on the chocolate box images.

For example, the programme highlighted staffing shortages in the hospitality industry and how soaring housing prices and the prevalence of second and holiday homes meant local youngsters could no longer afford to stay in the Lakeland communities in which they had grown up.

Another major issue is traffic congestion and how a surge in the number of tourists heading to the Lakes also led to some inconsiderate parking and frustrated residents this summer.

Ambleside Action for a Future wants major investment in public transport and a study into an eco-levy on cars driving into the Lakes from other counties. Lakes Parish Council’s suggestions include some road pricing measures.

Richard Leafe, chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority, says there are not currently any plans to ban tourists’ cars in parts of the Lake District in peak seasons but there are ideas about trialling such measures and what the benefits and impact might be.

The LDNPA and Cumbria County Council say the focus is on promoting sustainable alternatives, such as encouraging greater use of public transport.

It would be great if more tourists could park at transport hubs and take buses and trains into the national park. But visitors would only use them if services were very frequent and that would cost lots of money. Buses are generally run by private companies which need to make profit and it might require local authority subsidies to kick-start such services.

The Lakes faces complex issues and fixing them will require continued dialogue and innovative thinking.