Derbyshire villagers raise traffic congestion concerns during Chatsworth Christmas Market event

Chatsworth House recently launched its Christmas Market and as it clashed with other festive events including a Christmas Market at Thornbridge Hall and Bakewell, and a festive artisan market at Haddon Hall during the weekend of November 16 and 17 parts of the Peak District were reduced to gridlock.

Many have raised concerns about congestion on Chatsworth Road, at Rowsley, and for the knock-on effects for surrounding villages including Baslow and Pilsley, and even Ashford-in-the-Water and Bakewell.

Bev Bee, who highlighted gridlock on Chatsworth Road while the Christmas Market at Chatsworth has been operating, told the Derbyshire Times: “During the week it is absolute carnage. Buses most certainly experience delays as most drivers are so selfish and don’t give way to allow free flow of traffic.

“More to the point I dread to think what would happen if an emergency vehicle needed to get through.”

During the weekend of November 16 and 17 when the Chatsworth House Christmas Market clashed Christmas Market at Thornbridge Hall and Bakewell and festive artisan market at Haddon Hall roads around Chatsworth and Bakewell became gridlocked and Ashford-in-the-Water was deluged with parked cars.

Car parks in the surrounding areas were packed and full at certain times including at the Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop, near Pilsley, and at the Hassop Station Cafe and Monsal Trail car park where motorists resorted to parking nearby in a long line along a grass verge.

Problems claimed to have been experienced by many living and visiting the Peak District in recent weeks have also included long bus delays and damage to cars and some villagers are also saying they feel trapped in their own homes because they can’t get off their own roads.

Jo Penn posted on the Bakewell and Surrounding Villages Facebook page: “Imagine what it’s like living on Chatsworth Road! Not just one inconveniencing delay, but factoring in potential delays every single time you need to go anywhere.

“They’ve tried traffic lights and one way systems in the past – there was always chaos.

“We can’t park outside our houses for the last two weekends of the markets – for which we get one free parking at the market – or when there are other big events on at Chatsworth throughout the year.

“It simply isn’t reasonable to ask us not to park on Chatsworth Road for the whole duration that the markets are on.

“The delays are always caused by people’s stupidity, just blindly following other cars without being able to see what is coming or whether there is room to pull in.

“As residents we have to listen to rows every day from angry motorists and breath in all those fumes. It is not down to us to solve this.

“In an ideal world Chatsworth should have fewer market days and drivers should engage their brains! In the meantime, like us, you have to accept the inconvenience. There simply is not an easy solution.” Derbyshire County Council, which is responsible for civil traffic parking enforcement put out a warning before the weekend of November 16 and 17 in anticipation of the Chatsworth Christmas Market’s clash with two other festive events and Derbyshire Constabulary also patrol the Peak District.

Chatsworth House has put in place a compulsory £20 and £10 advanced car park pre-booking system for the Christmas Market which runs until December 1 so motorists cannot park at the estate unless they have a ticket and they have been encouraged not to come without a pre-booked ticket.

It is also encouraging people to respect the nearby Peak District community, and for visitors to consider using bus services because access to the market is free and it is warning motorists that Derbyshire County Council’s parking and police enforcement officers do patrol the concerned areas.

Chatsworth House is also putting on extra parking spaces beyond its normal car parks during the Christmas Market period with a tractor-trailer service in the grounds though some suspect this may add to the increasing number of motorists descending upon the Peak District.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We know the Peak District is a popular area, particularly in the run up to Christmas with some of the festive markets and events.

“As a county council we don’t organise these events and as a highways authority we don’t get to agree these events in advance, but we did try to support with advance publicity of these. We appreciate that popular events very close together on the same weekend caused issues on local roads for residents and visitors.

“Whilst it is for the organisers to mitigate against these issues and help to keep traffic moving, we will be working closely with event organisers to review this year and see what improvements they can make for next year.

“We also remain open to supporting other local councils and organisations organising events with public transport and park and ride options, as we have been trying to do through our Bus Service Improvement Programme. We have had enforcement officers out too in the area to support responsible and safe parking.”

A Chatsworth spokesperson said: “Christmas at Chatsworth is a special time of year for many, however we recognise the challenges it can bring. We work closely with our local communities, Derbyshire County Council, and the Police to minimise congestion and disruption for local people, whilst our on-site team work hard to manage parking with advanced booking and additional designated parking areas.”

Chatsworth also stated congestion had been closely monitored and kept to a minimum with minimal traffic issues reported outside of the 16-17 November weekend, and two days earlier in November when roadworks in the area were a contributing factor.