Nearly 1,000 fines were handed out last year but that has not stopped people ignoring the rules, according to those living near Dovestone Reservoir
People living close to Dovestone Reservoir fear a ‘horrendous’ parking and traffic ‘nightmare’ could return now the area is back open to the public.
The area around the body of water, near Greenfield in Oldham, was closed for over a month following a devastating fire that destroyed a large area of moorland from July 11. People were ordered to stay away as emergency services and fire crews tackled the blaze.
The major incident was stood down on August 3 with crews at the scene for several days afterwards. On August 20, it was announced the roads and car park near the reservoir would reopen.
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That has led to concerns among those living in the area, fearful of a major influx of visitors again, especially during periods of hot weather. More tourists has meant ‘local people tend to avoid it’.
Before the fire, people said litter would pile up with ‘rubbish everywhere’, empty beer bottles would be left behind, and barbecues lit despite a ban. So many cars turn up, Sarah White said: “They were blocking the roads. You couldn’t even get through at the time.”
While the area has long been a popular visitor destination, people said things had got worse after the COVID-19 pandemic with adverts and social media posts attracting ‘hundreds on bank holidays’. As there is a lack of sufficient parking, motorists reportedly dump their vehicles anywhere including across driveways.
A spokesperson for Oldham council said they were taking action regularly deploying their traffic wardens to the area. In 2025, there were nearly 1,000 fines handed out.
United Utilities has also published an action plan aimed at tackling issues around safety, litter, and parking in partnership with the relevant authorities. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which manages the area, also said its ‘long-term ambition is to ensure Dovestone remains a safe, welcoming and well-managed place for people to enjoy nature’.
‘It’s a nightmare, then you get abused going home’
One of the worst affected roads is Bradbury’s Lane, where residents living in a row of terraced houses have had to take matters into their own hands putting up orange barriers to try and stop people. Despite double yellows along the roads leading up to the reservoir, those on the street said visitors often risked a fine.
Karen O’Connor said: “I have been here 35 years and it was never like this. It’s just so well advertised now. It’s a nightmare and then you get abuse when you are trying to get back [home] and they think it’s one way. It’s really hard to describe how bad it is.
“It takes forever getting out. They just abandon the cars anywhere.”
The situation has prompted concerns about access for emergency vehicles if the roads are blocked. Karen added: “If something happened to someone up here, they would just be stranded.”
One woman said she had to queue for 40 minutes to get home once. On other times, she said drivers shouted and swore at her because they thought she was queue skipping.
While the reservoir is busy in the summer, people said there are issues now all year around with tourists from Yorkshire and further afield. Natalie Wilde said: “It’s bad. Just litter everywhere. Barbecues everywhere. People who are not from the area, they do not respect it.”
Natalie said she used to go out litter picking regularly but does this less than she used to. She said: “They can see the signs. They just do not listen. It’s horrible. I do not ride around Dovestone anymore but if I see litter, I will pick it up and put it in my bag.
“They need to be more on top of things. Put more bins out especially around Dovestone. Put more signs around to deter barbecues and fires.
“With the tourism, it can’t be helped. It’s a beauty spot. A lot of people come here at the weekend. You even have a guard to try to stop people coming through because it gets out of hand.”
Councillor Helen Bishop, who represents Saddleworth South on Oldham Council, told the Manchester Evening News: “Although it is great to see people being able to access Dovestone again, especially the memorial forest, I still have deep-rooted concerns that this was too soon, and that a comprehensive plan of action to ensure the access and safety of residents, wildlife, the environment and visitors alike should have been decided and communicated first.”
To encourage people to stay safe when visiting the area, an action plan was published by United Utilities in 2020 to ‘improve the experience of visitors to Dovestone and to reduce the impact from the high volumes of visitor traffic on those who use the site regularly’. This includes CCTV, managing littering, fire rangers patrolling the area, improving paths, signage and warnings to visitors, as well as more communication around the risks posed by the deep water as well as barbecues.
What council and RSPB have said
Ahead of A Level results day earlier this month, Jo Harrison, Asset Management Director at United Utilities, warned people against swimming in the water company’s reservoirs as they have ‘hidden dangers’ and are ‘often in remote locations which makes rescue difficult when people get into trouble’.
A spokesperson for the RSPB said: “RSPB Dovestone is one of the most visited sites in the Peak District. This brings huge benefits in terms of wellbeing, access to nature and local tourism, but we recognise that high visitor numbers can also create challenges for the landscape, facilities and surrounding communities.”
“The RSPB took on the operation of Dovestone car park in summer 2026. Since then, we have been working to manage the site safely and responsibly, while developing longer-term plans for its operation.”
“We understand concerns that have been raised locally about parking, traffic and litter. Dovestone receives very high visitor numbers, and effective management is important to protect nature, ensure public safety and provide a positive experience for visitors and local residents alike.
“We encourage visitors to park considerately, take their litter home and respect both the landscape and those who live and work nearby.”
“We are committed to being responsible stewards of the site and to working collaboratively with partners to address long-standing challenges around infrastructure, visitor pressure and safety.
“We will continue working closely with United Utilities, Oldham Council, local communities and visitors throughout this process. Our long-term ambition is to ensure Dovestone remains a safe, welcoming and well-managed place for people to enjoy nature, while protecting the special landscape and wildlife that make it such an important destination.”
In 2025, Oldham council issued 717 penalty charge notices at Dovestone car park, 197 on Holmfirth Road, 18 on Bradbury Lane, eight on an access road off Bank Lane, three on Bank Lane and three on Hollins Lane.
A council spokesperson said: “We want everyone to enjoy our green spaces and countryside – but we also ask that people respect the area and local residents. Sadly, problem parking is an issue at many beauty spots across the country, especially when the weather is good.
“The area around Dovestone is heavily used for parking especially during peak times and our wardens are regularly deployed there.
“The council understands the frustration of residents and has installed measures, such as permanent double yellow lines on roads and streets in the area to try and ease the situation. Last year 946 Penalty Charge Notices were issued in the area around Dovestone Reservoir.”
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