National Trust ban coaches at Birling Gap

The trust confirmed that the site at Birling Gap and Seven Sisters is ‘unable to cope’ with the increase of coach visits in recent years and has banned coaches from parking, as well as dropping passengers off.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "At Birling Gap, we welcome over 600,000 visitors every year to this small rural clifftop location that is vulnerable to coastal erosion.

"We've seen a significant increase in coach visits in recent years, which the site is unable to cope with.

"We continue to welcome visitors by car, motorbike, minibus and bus service."

The news comes after East Sussex County Council’s warnings of the dangers of cliff edges after a huge crack appeared in the cliff edge near the Belle Tout Lighthouse.

Despite this, multiple people were seen spotted at the edge of Beachy Head on April 11.

Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member at East Sussex County Council, added: “The cliffs contain many overhangs and cracks that visitors may not be able to see, as illustrated recently by a large crack in the chalk cliff near Belle Tout lighthouse.

“The cliffs, while beautiful, are extremely unstable and huge quantities of chalk can fall at any time with absolutely no warning.

“We want people to enjoy visiting the stunning East Sussex coast but to do so safely and urge them to stay back from the cliff edges and bases.

“Incidents of walkers being stranded on the beach after being cut off by the tide happen more frequently than people realise."