Sandbanks Community Group (SCG) chairman David Morley has written to over 50 senior stakeholders at BCP Council, Dorset Police, Poole Harbour Commissioners and others seeking their support to address future summer safety, traffic & environmental measures.

His letter calls for a proactive approach to keeping Sandbanks a unique, safe & welcoming place for everyone to enjoy now and into the future.

The letter highlights the fact that the majority of visitors to Sandbanks behave with respect for the area.

However the lack of respect shown by a small minority has a disproportionately negative impact on the enjoyment of the majority, as well as on the local environment. Examples include beach bonfires, ‘boy racers’ racing cars around the peninsula, inconsiderate parking blocking emergency access, excessive littering, illegal beach and roadside camping and traffic gridlock.

David points out in his letter that this summer was exceptional only in the sense that the increased scale of the visitor influx - that led to a Major Incident being declared in June - intensified the impact of the issues. The issues were largely the same as those experienced every summer.

SCG is calling for specific measures to be built into plans for the year ahead to avoid a repeat for future summers.

So far there has been an encouraging response from stakeholders, perhaps reflecting that these measures are good for everyone, visitors, residents and the authorities alike.

Read the letter.

View the summer message grid.

Read the Bournemouth Echo article.