Derbyshire’s Chatsworth House estate insists traffic congestion during its on-going Christmas Market has been closely monitored with minimal issues reported outside of disruption from road works and a very busy Peak District weekend when its event clashed with other markets.

Chatsworth House, near Baslow, launched its Christmas Market on November 9 and as it clashed with a Christmas Market at Thornbridge Hall and Bakewell, and a festive artisan market at Haddon Hall during the weekend of November 16 and 17 parts of the Peak District were reduced to gridlock.

A Chatsworth spokesperson said: “Christmas at Chatsworth is a special time of year for many, however we recognise the challenges it can bring.

“We work closely with our local communities, Derbyshire County Council, and the police to minimise congestion and disruption for local people, whilst our on-site team work hard to manage parking with advanced booking and additional designated parking areas.”

Many raised concerns about congestion on Chatsworth Road, at Rowsley, and for the knock-on effects for surrounding villages including Baslow and Pilsley, and even Ashford-in-the-Water and the town of Bakewell.

These included claims of traffic congestion, irresponsible parking, blocked roads, long bus delays, safety issues and road rage.

Bev Bee, who highlighted gridlock on Chatsworth Road in Rowsley while the Chatsworth Christmas Market has been operating said that during the week it is ‘absolute carnage’ with delays for buses and she fears what will happen if an emergency vehicle needs access.

During the weekend of November 16 and 17 when the Chatsworth Christmas Market clashed with other events roads around Chatsworth and Bakewell became gridlocked and Ashford-in-the-Water was deluged with parked cars.

Car parks in the surrounding areas were packed and full at certain times including at the Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop, near Pilsley, and at the  Hassop Station Cafe and Monsal Trail car park where motorists resorted to parking nearby in a long line along a grass verge.

Problems claimed to have been experienced by many living and visiting the Peak District recently have also included long bus delays and damage to cars and some villagers are also saying they cannot go anywhere and feel trapped in their own homes because they cannot get off their own roads.

Jo Penn posted on the Bakewell and Surrounding Villages Facebook page: “In an ideal world Chatsworth should have fewer market days and drivers should engage their brains. In the meantime, like us, you have to accept the inconvenience. There simply is not an easy solution.”

Derbyshire County Council, which is responsible for civil traffic parking enforcement put out a warning before the weekend of November 16 and 17 in anticipation of the Chatsworth Christmas Market’s clash with two other festive events and Derbyshire Constabulary also patrols the Peak District.

Chatsworth House has put in place a compulsory £20 and £10 advanced car park pre-booking system for the Christmas Market which runs until December 1 so motorists cannot park at the estate unless they have a ticket and they have been encouraged not to come without a pre-booked ticket.

It is also encouraging people to respect the nearby Peak District community, and for visitors to consider using bus services because access to the market is free and it is warning motorists that Derbyshire County Council’s parking and police enforcement officers do patrol the concerned areas.

Chatsworth House is also putting on extra parking spaces beyond its normal car parks during the Christmas Market period with a tractor-trailer shuttle service in the grounds though some suspect this may add to the increasing number of motorists descending upon the Peak District.

It added that it works closely with local communities, Derbyshire County Council and the police to minimise congestion and anti-social and illegal parking during events at Chatsworth.

And it stated that congestion has been closely monitored and kept to a minimum with minimal traffic issues reported outside of the November 16-17 weekend and two days earlier in November when roadworks in the area were a contributing factor.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said it does not organise these events and as a highways authority it does not get to agree to these events in advance.

However, the spokesperson added that it did try to support the events with advance publicity especially when the popular events were very close together on the same weekend and caused issues on roads for residents and visitors.

The council spokesperson added: “Whilst it is for the organisers to mitigate against these issues and help to keep traffic moving, we will be working closely with event organisers to review this year and see what improvements they can make for next year.

“We also remain open to supporting other local councils and organisations organising events with public transport and park and ride options, as we have been trying to do through our Bus Service Improvement Programme. We have had enforcement officers out too in the area to support responsible and safe parking.”

Derbyshire Constabulary has also been asked to provide a statement regarding the traffic concerns but the force has not yet responded.