Car parking charges to be introduced on Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest is to introduce parking charges after the Conservators approved a proposal to bring in sustainable revenue.

The organisation that manages the Forest says the payments will enable them to maintain and enhance the beautiful landscape.

These payments are set to start in Summer of this year, following a tendering process.

It follows a six-week public consultation which attracted almost three thousand responses.

Chief Executive James Adler said:

"We realise that a change such as this will not be universally popular, but we have to raise money to care for this precious place.

"We would like to thank all of those who contributed to the consultation and came to the public meeting.

"It is vital for the future of Ashdown Forest that our income is sustainable. Paying to park will not be the only source of funding to care for the Forest but it will form the bedrock of our income".

The Forest will now carry out a tendering process to finalise how an appropriate system can be installed in the car parks.

The income from parking charges will then be used to repair the car parks most in need, followed by a rolling programme of repairs to tracks for walkers and horse riders.