Anniversary of lake speed limit

The limit has been enforced using hi-tech speed cameras

Wednesday marks the first anniversary of the introduction of a controversial speed limit on England's largest lake.

Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) said Windermere's 10mph limit has created a tranquil atmosphere.

Tourism bosses have claimed some businesses were having serious problems as a result and the area was losing millions of pounds.

But the authority insisted it had been a success and did not accept the economy had been damaged.

LDNPA corporate operations director Bob Cartwright said: "There's no doubt that the speed limit has been a success and I don't accept it has had the damaging effect on the local economy that people say it has.

Visitor fall

"The objectives were to really restore the lake to people who wanted a safe environment, one that they could really enjoy the widest range of recreational activities particularly the quiet ones, the unpowered ones.

"And really feel they are back in the national park not in some sort of jetski pleasure ground that Windermere had largely become."

He said there had been a downturn in the tourism economy across the country which had affected the whole of Cumbria. But he said it was "far too early and probably wrong to blame that on the speed limit".

He accepted that people like waterskiers had left the area but said it needed to be balanced with the investment around the lake and that entrepreneurial businesses were reaping the benefits.

In December, Cumbria Tourist Board said two surveys confirmed businesses were facing serious problems and said extra public money was needed to offset losses.

It said the the surveys revealed over half said a fall in profitability and visitors during 2005 was down to the speed limit.