AS the holiday season gets into full swing, fresh concerns have been raised about West Bay’s car parks being used as campsites by visitors.

One business owner says they are already experiencing problems at the Station Yard car park, despite changes having been made to the rules.

Last summer, exasperated residents and business owners who live and work at West Bay spoke out against a ‘ridiculous situation’ whereby visitors with motorhomes and caravans were using the Station Yard car park as a cheap campsite, paying a charge of £2 to park and camp overnight.

Claire Moore at the Station Kitchen said the situation was becoming ‘unbearable’, with motorhomes and caravans filling up the car park and visitors used facilities provided by her business.

Mrs Moore said she had experienced issues of flytipping, water usage from the restaurant’s outside tap and was even receiving calls at 2am from people asking to turn on their electricity so they could park up.

The former West Dorset District Council agreed to ban overnight parking following a number of complaints.

Councillors also agreed changes to The Mound car park, removing the three-hour maximum stay and charging £2-an-hour every hour after three hours.

But Mrs Moore says she is already experiencing problems.

“There is no gate there so it doesn’t stop anyone,” she said. “We’re already seeing the same issues as people go in and help themselves. We are worried about what the summer will bring - the toilets will go back to being filled up and the mess will come back. It’s very worrying and it does have an impact on us.”

Nicola Keyworth-Wright, parking and transport manager for Dorset Council, said: “The council reviewed the parking order and additional measures have been put in place to improve the situation. The parking order has been changed and absolutely no overnight parking is permitted at this car park.

“Updated signage in the car park went up this week, and it clearly states that although vehicles are welcome to use this car park, overnight parking is not permitted.

“Parking enforcement officers will continue to make night time visits and patrol on a regular basis so that this can be enforced.”