'Please be considerate' call after hundreds of people flock to Wakefield beauty spots

Coun Nadeem Ahmed said that he was inundated with messages at the weekend about the vast amount of cars in and around Wakefield especially at Pugney's Park, Newmillerdam and Sandal Castle on Saturday.

Cars were parked on surrounding roads, including Barnsley Road and Asdale Road, on yellow lines, on pavements and grass bankings, causing problems for nearby residents and visitors using wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Coun Ahmed said: "I understand the difficulties we have all faced during pandemic and lockdown.

"Even with a vaccine we must all remain vigilant.

"I would urge all residents to please be mindful of parking, social distancing and staying safe. The parking issues within this ward are creating issues for many people and I would ask that we all consider how we park so it does not cause issues for others."

On Saturday, police officers were seen to be issuing fixed penalty notices to vehicles parked illegally.

Coun Ahmed said: "The car parks were full so people were then parking on yellow lines, pavements...causing problems for people in wheelchairs and parents with buggies.

"I understand that people need to get out in the fresh air - and I encourage that - but please do take other people into consideration.

"We're not over the hill just yet. We are getting there, but we all need to stick to the plan. We have a set of rules we need to stick to and those rules are made by the professionals, the scientists who know what they are talking about.

"So please, stick to those guidelines for a bit longer. And if you do go to one of these places and find it's full, try somewhere else. Try somewhere else in Wakefield - or even walk."

Coun Ahmed said the other problem that he's been made aware of at the weekend, was the amount of litter around our parks and beauty spots.

"The bins were jam-packed and overflowing and people had just dropped their litter on the floor," he said.

"The litter problem is a big issue for people who live in these areas and there have been reports of rat infestations.

"Please, take your litter home with you if you find the bins full."