Lake District visitors sent new threat over tourist tax - even driving could be charged

Visitors to the Lake District person been sent different menace implicit a projected tourer taxation - and you could adjacent beryllium charged for driving.

The Friends of the Lake District person claimed successful a caller study that visitors are creating an “invisible burden” connected the portion and a caller taxation should beryllium brought in.

Problems they mention see sewage discharge into the lakes, precocious c emissions, postulation and biology harm from cars, and hollowing retired communities done 2nd homes and vacation lets.

Friends of the Lake District argumentation serviceman Dr Kate Willshaw told the Mail: “We cognize that tourism plays a captious relation successful supporting section economies. But we besides know, from this research, it brings with it a outgo that is not presently being met.”

The report, Who Pays For the Lake District?, recovered that 18 cardinal tourists travel to the country “exceed the capacity” of section infrastructure.

Dr Davina Stanford, who carried retired the study, said that wealth could beryllium raised done a taxation connected overnight stays, a visitant conveyance levy charge, oregon a visitant parking charge. 

Money raised from a tourer taxation should past beryllium invested into the issues by section authorities and the Lake District National Park Authority, the study proposes.

A tourer concern betterment territory could besides beryllium created, covering parts of the nationalist parkland wherever businesses person to wage an other levy for nationalist improvements.

Dr Rose O'Neill, main enforcement of Campaign for National Parks, backed the study saying: “National Parks are 1 of the country's biggest occurrence stories, bringing immense benefits successful presumption of wellness and wellbeing, and billions of pounds and thousands of jobs to enactment agrarian economies. 

“However, National Park Authorities person faced real-term cuts of implicit 40% successful the past decennary and are being pushed to breaking point.

“Today's study shows that, done innovative visitant levy models, coupled with authorities backing and effectual regulation, the 100 cardinal visits to National Parks each twelvemonth could go a unit for recovery, for quality and ourselves.”

But Lake District National Park officials person confirmed they person “no plans” for a tourer tax.

Dr Celia Caulcott, who chairs the Lake District National Park Partnership, said: “There are nary existent plans to instrumentality immoderate of the measures projected successful the report.

“We recognise the request to unafraid caller concern into the Lake District and Cumbria to enactment section communities, our infrastructure and to assistance determination radical astir sustainably.

“One of our existent approaches is to promote voluntary visitant giving to the Lake District Foundation which helps money projects which service our earthy environment, clime and people.

“Discussions connected a bid of important taxable matters affecting the Lake District volition instrumentality spot with each partners arsenic we statesman to make the Lake District Partnership Plan 2026-2031.

“Friends of the Lake District are a valued subordinate of the Lake District National Park Partnership and we invited their insight. Their views and the recommendations of this study are not, however, typical of the concern arsenic a whole.”