Coronavirus: BCP and Dorset car parks open during lockdown

When the coronavirus restrictions were initially introduced in March, councils shut their car parks including at the seafront and beauty spots in an effort to stop people visiting locations during the lockdown.

While people are being urged to stay at home once again with the exception of going to school or college, food shopping or working if they cannot do so from home; council car parks across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset and the New Forest will stay open.

• Read more: The BCP services and facilities that will and won't be open in coronavirus lockdown

Earlier this week, BCP Council announced it would be keeping many of its services and facilities open.

BCP Council leader Cllr Drew Mellor said: “Unlike the last lockdown when most council services closed, this time we are able to keep many frontline services up and running, including public toilets, so making our beaches and parks more accessible to local people wanting to take exercise in our fabulous open spaces.

New Forest District Council, which operates more than 50 car parks in the district, said: “Our car parks are remaining open as normal. We will continue honouring the health, care and volunteer workers parking pass in our car parks.”

In March, New Forest car parks had to be closed because there were too many visitors.

Tens of thousands of people flocked prompting park bosses to close the car parks amid fears they could compromise the fight against coronavirus.

Speaking at the time, Forestry England, the custodians of the Crown lands of the New Forest, said: "The most important thing for Forestry England is to keep the public, our staff and volunteers safe.”