Local residents are furious after being stuck in their town for days with roads gridlocked after thousands of people flocked to Camber by car.
This year local residents have said they have seen no sign of the annual operation that has ran over the last few years that enforces breach of parking restrictions. This weekend car parks at Camber Sands become full by mid-morning resulting in inconsiderate and illegal parking which blocked resident and some Emergency Service access and caused miles of congestion.
Operation Radcott is normally launched in July and runs throughout the summer to ensure the annual tourism boom benefits the local economy, while causing as little disruption to residents as possible.
Rother, Camber Parish and East Sussex councils, Sussex Police, RNLI, South East Coast Ambulance Service and local MP Sally-Ann Hart work together to help keep visitors safe, the beach clean and traffic in the area flowing and tackle inconsiderate and illegal parking in Camber village.
It has been estimated that around ten thousand people drove to the area with Sussex Travel Watch reporting quques of up to three miles as early as 9am on Sunday Morning and this afternoon a Serious RTc blocked one of the main exit roads to the East causing even more mayhem.
One resident we soke to said “I’ve lived here 34 years and gets worse every year, it’s now dangerous as no emergency vehicles can get here, people who are parking have been trying to get here for about 4 hours from London, and they still trying to get into the village and it is late afternoon.”
Another one said “Just witnessed a man get out of their car in the queue of traffic and defecate at the side of the Rd in full view of everyone”
“Cars Queuing already back to the golf course at 8.00. My Mother’s Carer had to sit in it for half an hour. Luckily she got here. Don’t hold out much hope for lunchtime”
When Operation Radcott is running Electric bikes are used to ensure parking officers can easily access areas of the village adn residents can call a number to report a breach of parking restrictions.”
Rother District Council are participating in a UK wide ‘Beach App’ that enables coastal officers to broadcast to potential visitors how busy the beach is before they travel so they can make an informed decision.
