IT IS the scenario thousands of visitors to the New Forest dread.

Queues of motorists line up to hand over cash at a toll booth before being allowed the simple pleasure of driving through Hampshire’s most scenic landscape.

Then, having paid to get there, a road-block appears, saying that the picturesque route you wanted to take has become a car-free zone.

Even a stop-off to walk the dog becomes a major headache – some car parks have become no-go areas for owners while others now charge by the hour.

Paying to get into the New Forest is the stark reality that faces residents and tourists if a far-reaching and controversial blueprint for the future of the area gets the go-ahead.

There are no limits on how much drivers will be forced to pay, no restrictions on how often they will have to dip in to their pockets, and it could be rolled out in just over a year’s time.

If approved it would be the first time that a national park anywhere in the country would charge people to enter.

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