Overflow car park opened at Burrs Country Park after parking chaos

Burrs Country Park's overflow car park will now be open to visitors every day from 8am to 10pm.

Overnight parking or camping will be strictly prohibited on the car park, which is usually kept locked unless there is an event on the showground.

The move has been made to prevent visitors parking their vehicles on the cobbled stretch of Woodhill Road when the main car parks are full.

Hilary Marshall, chairman of the Friends of Burrs Country Park welcomed the move as 'good news'.

She said: "The Council have acted swiftly to the parking problem by asking the Security Service team to unlock the gate to the overflow car park/field at 8am and to close it at 10pm.

"Friends of Burrs are hoping that visitors to the park will respond sensibly to the opening of the field and avoid parking on Woodhill Road."

A new sign advertising the open hours of the overflow car park was erected yesterday.

However, it has already been ripped down by vandals, the Friends of Burrs Country Park said.

New sign at the overflow car park at Burrs Country Park

Ms Marshall criticised the hooligans "who obviously think it is clever to inconvenience people".

Bury Council has been contacted about the sign and it is hoped to be replaced after the weekend.

The decision to open the overflow car park follows a week of discussion over the problems at the country park.

Last weekend was said to have witnessed the 'worst ever' parking and behaviour seen in visitors to the park.

This week, The Friends of Burrs Country Park, Bury Council, police, the Caravan and Motorhome Club, and staff at the Lamppost Cafe all voiced criticisms of motorists.

It came after vehicles were reportedly parked and double parked all down the cobbled stretch of Woodhill Road.

Parking at Burrs Country Park, Bury, on July 19 2020, which has angered park groups

Drivers and motorhome owners were also criticised for having shown 'blatant disregard for right of way' and causing a 'stand-off' at the narrow bridge.

In addition to the changes at the overflow car park, earlier this week, Bury Council pledged to take actions to tackle problem parking and driver behaviour at the park.

This will include repainting any fading double yellow lines, asking parking contractors to carry out additional enforcement at peak times, and clearing any branches which may be obscuring signs.