One year of parking charges: Ashdown Forest looks at improvements and vandalism after controversial scheme introduced

From Monday, November 21, 2022, visitors have been unable to park for free and have had to pay in 45 forest car parks.

The decision sparked outrage among some walkers in East Sussex.

This week Ashdown Forest have issued an update on the scheme, saying the charges ‘have significantly contributed to the ongoing maintenance of the forest’s infrastructure’.

Countryside manager Ash Walmsley said: “We would like to thank everyone who has visited the forest and contributed by paying to park. We receive more than 1.4 million visits a year, which all create some impact on the forest. We believe our visitors understand that their contribution from parking payments in the forest car parks contribute towards the protection and maintenance of this rare and beautiful landscape and keeps the forest accessible and safe for all our visitors.”

Ashdown Forest said the income generated so far has been used to improve paths, maintain or replace gates and bridges, fix potholes and restore eroded entrances and exits.

The charges were introduced after a long public consultation and public meetings. In September 2022 one group of walkers called the online booking system ‘unworkable’, saying it excluded people without smart phones. They also said that certain sections of the forest were bad for phone signals.

Ashdown Forest said many concerns were taken into account and introduced several concessions to help low-income families and other groups visit. Visit ashdownforest.org/parking.

The parking is managed by national provider Horizon Parking Ltd, who are members of the British Parking Association Approved Operator Scheme. Parking attendants visit the 45 car parks to support visitors and maintain signage and parking machines.

To pay for parking, people can buy annual or winter passes through the company’s online parking portal. People can also call them on 0330 333 8446 to buy hourly or daily tickets, or use one of five car parking apps. Visitors can also visit the Forest Centre during working hours to pay by cash or use a machine at the centre to pay by card.

Sussex Police said they received a report that five signs had been vandalised at the forest’s car parks on Tuesday, November 22, last year.

Ashdown Forest recently revealed that since paid parking began more signs have been defaced and removed. They said incidents have increased in recent weeks with signs being removed from 18 car parks, which must be replaced at a cost to the forest, diminishing the ability to invest in visitor infrastructure.

Ash Walmsley said: “The police are aware and together with Horizon we are working on ways to maintain and protect the parking scheme and continue to improve visitor infrastructure across the Forest. Despite these attacks we remain committed to improving the Forest for the benefit of everyone.”

Ashdown Forest said that since November 22 there have been 93 penalty parking charge notices issued.

The number of parking passes sold in 2022/23 is: 2,028 annual passes, 372 winter passes and 235 concessionary annual passes (£5). Ashdown Forest said that parking payments contribute to: maintaining 75 miles of paths, keeping fire breaks open, improving access for those with restricted mobility, responding to emergencies and fly-tipping, and managing a volunteer work force of 130 people.