Home / Environment / New Forest Introduces Parking Fees to Maintain Trails and Protect Environment
New Forest Introduces Parking Fees to Maintain Trails and Protect Environment
6 Oct
Summary
- Forestry England to charge £1.50 per hour for parking in 130 car parks
- Revenue will fund repairs to car parks and trails damaged by increased use and weather
- Concerns raised over environmental impact of people parking outside designated areas
In the coming spring, visitors to the New Forest National Park in the UK will have to pay to use the area's 130 car parks. Forestry England (FE), which manages the Crown lands in the national park, has confirmed that a £1.50 per hour charge will be introduced.
FE says the fees are necessary due to the rising costs of maintaining the car parks and trails. The price of materials needed for repairs has increased by more than 50% over the last three years, and the increased use and prolonged bad weather have taken a toll on the infrastructure. The extra revenue from the parking charges will help FE avoid closing car parks and trails and will also allow them to significantly boost the number of rangers patrolling the forest.
However, the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the new fees. They worry that people will try to avoid paying by parking on verges and other land outside the designated car parks, which could damage wildlife habitats and local communities. The NPA has advised FE to have robust measures in place before the scheme starts to address these issues.
Some regular users of the currently free car parks, such as dog walkers and members of local walking clubs, have expressed disappointment at the upcoming charges. They fear the fees could discourage people from visiting the forest and lead to the end of local walking groups. But FE maintains that the charges are necessary to continue caring for the "precious landscape" of the New Forest.
