West Wittering beach car park sold out during mini heatwave; people told not to travel without valid ticket
People planning to visit West Wittering Beach today (Monday, August 12) have been told not to travel without a valid ticket after the car park sold out.
No parking spaces are available at the popular West Sussex beach.
A social media post read: “Please do not travel to the area without a pre-booked ticket. You will be refused entry. There is no alternative parking in the local area.”
A notice on the West Wittering Estate website added: "Please note – you cannot book for today and reservations for tomorrow close at 11pm.” tonight.”
The car park is open from 6.30am until 8.30pm.
This comes as Sussex continues to experience a mini-heatwave, with temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius expected in the county today. The hottest time of the day will be between 1 and 3pm.
This comes after some parts of the UK saw temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius over the weekend.
In July, West Wittering Estate announced an update to its car park pre-booking policy.
Effective from August 1, visitors are now encouraged to book their parking space at least one day before their visit.
A spokesperson explained: “This means they will know they have parking secured before they travel – avoiding a wasted journey – and benefit from savings of up to 25 per cent on parking fees. Pre-booking on day of visit will no longer be available.
"The change is being introduced to support the company’s continued desire to take action to mitigate traffic levels on the local road network, particularly during periods of prolonged good weather in the summer months. It will also mean the West Wittering Estate Management Team can plan staffing levels for beach services accordingly to help ensure all visitors have a safe and enjoyable day at the beach.”
West Wittering Estate said asking visitors to book at least one day in advance ‘allows us to plan our beach services more effectively’ and to ‘communicate with potential visitors’ when the car park is sold out.
The spokesperson added: "The beach is very popular especially when the weather is hot and sunny. That’s when all spaces in the car park can be filled well ahead of time, especially as we now limit numbers. Pre-booking is the only way visitors can ensure a parking space at our car park. It is also the best option for a stress-free visit.”