New Forest councillor 'concerned' over new parking charges

Councillor Malcolm Wade said many residents have been parking for free in New Forest car parks for decades and that the introduction of a £94 annual pass will come as a shock.

He said: "Residents have been used to using New Forest car parks for a very long time, without any cost.

"Having local people shell out £94 a year in one go is a lot of money.

"We have thousands of dog walkers in the Forest, some of whom are old age pensioners who do not have a lot of money."

The councillor for Hythe and Dibden said while it might be reasonable to charge tourists, the new fee felt unfair to those living locally.

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He added: "It’s one thing making a yearly cost for tourists, but I do not believe that is fair for residents.

"I also think these charges will have a negative effect on people’s wellbeing – putting up charges like this certainly won’t make more people want to come to the New Forest."

Councillor Wade said he had written to Forestry England to raise a number of concerns shared by residents.

In response, a Forestry England spokesperson said the organisation manages around half of the New Forest National Park and has seen costs rise sharply in recent years.

The spokesperson said: "With a major rise in costs and an increasing number of people using the area, we can no longer afford this work.

"Less than 20 percent of our core funding comes from government, the rest has to be raised by our own activities."

Forestry England said the income from parking charges will help maintain car parks, trails, and cycle routes, and support conservation and wildlife.

A discounted membership will allow local people to park as often as they like for less than £2 a week, with the option to pay monthly by direct debit.