Multiple cars were parked on the pavement in East Overcliff Drive with bus operators Morebus and Yellow Buses saying their vehicles were becoming stuck.

Yellow Buses said it would be unable to serve East Cliff for the rest of the day, while Morebus was forced to terminate services at Bournemouth Square/Hinton Road.

Breezer 70 - Due to double parked cars and cars parked on the pavement on East Overcliff Drive, our vehicles are becoming stuck and the situation is becoming dangerous. Because of this service 70 will terminate at Bournemouth Square/Hinton Road for the rest of the day. ^LW

— morebus (@Morebusco) July 17, 2022

Due to illegal parking, which is making our buses become stuck and making it dangerous, we are unable to serve East Cliff for the rest of the day. Buster's Beach Bus will divert via Bath Road and Christchurch Road.

— Yellow Buses (@YellowBuses) July 17, 2022

Frustrated residents said parking wardens were nowhere to be seen amid reports of double-parked cars across the area after seafront car parks quickly filled to capacity.

East Cliff resident Barbara Bird said the road was “completely gridlocked” by lunchtime and that it took an ambulance around six minutes to get from the Marsham Court Hotel to the Carlton Hotel – a distance of around 0.3 miles.

“It’s like this every hot day and it’s just appalling”, she said.

“God forbid there was a fire or medical incident because the emergency services just wouldn’t be able to arrive.

“Cars on the pavement or blocking the narrowest points in the road should be towed away. It’s a complete free for all and realistically, when everyone knows it’s going to be busy, they should shut certain roads – like when the Air Festival is on.

“I have seen no difference between today and the busiest of Air Festivals.”

Parking at Bournemouth East Overcliff. Picture: John Grundy

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The manager of the Hotel Miramar was similarly angered and called for parking fines to be increased after an interaction with someone who parked on double yellow lines outside the hotel.

“He asked me if he would be okay to park there,” said the manager.

“I told him he was running the risk of being fined £35 and he said he’d prefer to pay that than keep looking for a space. He then locked the car and left.

“I’ve worked here for 13 years, and I wouldn’t say it’s getting worse because it couldn’t get any worse.”

Cars parked in East Overcliff Drive

On Friday, BCP Council announced response plans ahead of the weekend.

It said there would be enhanced traffic management at key locations and car parks with tow away zones in operation to help deal with illegal parking.

Member for culture and vibrant places Councillor Beverley Dunlop described car parking enforcement as a “battle” and said it highlights the necessity for alternative transport options such as Park and Ride.

She said: “I know there are lots of complexities around parking enforcement and I agree that some people will say the fine is worth it and just park illegally.

Fines given to illegally parked cars in Beacon Road, West Cliff

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“We have been lobbying hard to get parking fines increased and will keep lobbing. The leader of the council and our PCC has written to ministers, but these things take time.

“It’s known that if you pay these fines within 14 days it is actually less money, so it’s really not much of a deterrent. But we really are trying to make it more costly for illegal parkers.”

“The situation is not going to go away as this is a beautiful part of the country and people are always going to come here. What I think we have to try and do is get people out of their cars and push for those alternative methods, but it is a battle.”

Enforcement officers were visible at the nearby Beacon Road Car Park where several fines had been given to illegally parked cars.