WITH temperatures set to soar, BCP Council and Dorset Police have outlined precautionary measures to combat the huge footfall expected in Dorset this weekend.

Earlier this year, the council put together a multi-million-pound summer readiness plan in response to the high levels of disorder and parking chaos experienced in 2020.

After the ‘major incident’ declared last year and amid a spate of illegal parking seen recently, BCP Council has emphasised their readiness for this weekend.

Sophie Ricketts, head of seasonal response at BCP, said: “Following our last busy weekend we have enhanced our numbers of civil enforcement officers to address illegal parking, our tow trucks will also be placed at key locations as a deterrent but also to allow quick responses to illegally parked vehicles.

“We have also put measures in place to signpost people to any available car parks and park and ride services.

She added: “Our security presence and staffing levels are increased in order to support a predicted influx of demand. Our multi-agency command centre will be operational from Friday morning co-ordinating our joint resources.”

To further inform the public, the council has also launched a paid social media advertising campaign to promote the Beach Check App, and parking information to encourage everyone to park responsibly.

Bournemouth is forecast highs of 26 degrees across Friday, Saturday and Sunday as a July heatwave looks set to start. It is scheduled to be the last weekend before the so-called Freedom Day on July 19, where all legal social distancing-based requirements will end.

Dorset Police are also preparing for a busy weekend. Chief Superintendent Mark Callaghan said: "We have got a lot of preparations in place for our summer policing response and our partnership response throughout the summer but I would ask people to be sensible.

“Covid and the pandemic hasn’t gone away and we want to be really careful about our resources.

“We know from our colleagues in the health service that they are still stretched.

He added: “It’s about people taking that personal responsibility, being sensible and supporting emergency services – not causing us more demand that they don’t need to create.

“We have done really well over the past 18 months and I think it is important we work together with our communities to make sure we deliver a safe Dorset this summer.”