A CONCERNED resident believes a Sellafield park and ride scheme is ‘smothering’ a community and blocking tourism and visitors.

The foreshore car park in Seascale has been used by nuclear workers who park up and then catch a bus to the Sellafield site since 2018.

Sellafield Ltd leases 40 spaces on the car park from Seascale Parish Council in a move to encourage more sustainable travel and reduce traffic on the A595.

But one resident who lives in the village has queried the benefits the scheme brings to the community.

She said: “How does filling a small village car park on the west coast of Cumbria with empty Sellafield workers’ cars, when they are miles away on site, benefit the economy of Seascale?

“How can a multi-billion pound nuclear industry smother the local communities in this way? Why doesn’t Sellafield have its own car parking facilities?

“We are continually told how great the nuclear industry is for this area. How can it be when it takes the local assets away for itself?

“This does not generate business. It prevents tourism and visitors as they are the ones that spend money - not the Sellafield contractors.”

The resident also raised concerns over bus drivers ‘using the car park like a roundabout’  and going out of the no exit. She said there is also a safety risk as the play area and toilets are not fenced off.

David Moore, vice chair of Seascale Parish Council, said the authority receives £15,000 each year for use of the spaces.

“The opportunity to lease these spaces to Sellafield, which cover about a third of our car park, was taken a number of years ago.

“They use the spaces Monday to Friday. They don’t use them weekends and bank holidays. When we have got our busier holiday periods, they are not using them.

“We still provide free toilets, it allows us to have CCTV on the foreshore and car park area. We have street lighting that runs along the promenade. It allows us to keep our amenities running.

“That is why we went into a commercial arrangements. It allows us to have some revenue which saves it being passed on to the ratepayer at Seascale.

“It allows us to control the number of vehicles that are coming in and out of Seascale.”

A Sellafield Ltd spokesperson said: “Since 2018 we have leased forty spaces on the Seascale foreshore car park from Seascale Parish Council.

“The spaces support access to the site for employees and contractors that live in Seascale and encourage more sustainable travel, including reducing traffic impacts on the A595 and surrounding areas. 

“Use of the spaces is managed through a token system, with users having to provide proof of residency and display their tokens at all times. A separate token is also required to use the shuttle bus service.

“We continue to monitor use of the car park and remain committed to working with the Parish Council to address any issues or concerns.”