Parking and Footpath Restrictions Enacted Near Bournemouth Landslip Site

Measures limiting parking and access to a footpath have been introduced above the location of two landslips in Bournemouth. Parking has been temporarily suspended on the southern portion of St Michael’s Road, situated near the top of West Cliff. BCP Council stated that these actions, which include fencing to restrict footpath access, were implemented “to ease the weight load immediately above the site.” The authority further reported that “careful assessments of the area continue.” Debris from the landslips, which occurred west of Bournemouth Pier on 9 and 19 October, has been left at the base of the cliff to assist in preventing any potential further movement. The council communicated: “Together, these actions ensure that the site remains as stable as possible as surveys continue.” They added: “We ask the public to follow the signage and be mindful of the precautions now in place in this area.” St Michael’s Road remains open to traffic, with disabled parking bays having been relocated to the north-west section of the road. The landslips resulted in approximately 14 beach huts being strewn across the promenade, reaching the edge of the beach. Mobile phone footage of the incident also captured the moment a woman and her dog ran to the beach as the landslip propelled the beach huts across the seafront path. An extended wire fence and warning signs are still positioned at the base of the landslips. Experts from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) department, along with a Geotech engineer, are conducting investigations.