Ashdown Forest Parking Charges To Commence Next Week - With Concessions

Parking charges for 44 car parks within Ashdown Forest will commence next Monday (November 21) with concessions just announced.

The decision to start charging for parking facilities was arrived at in July 2021, following heavy footfall at the forest during the pandemic.

With many extra visitors to the park, conservators say they were becoming increasingly unable to look after the forest and provide safe public access.

Ashdown Forest Chief Executive James Adler said:

“Introducing parking charges was a difficult decision. We hope that people will understand that without this income we cannot protect this unique landscape now or for the future. We want our visitors to enjoy everything the Forest has to offer and, by making their parking payment, they will make a really valuable contribution to maintaining this beautiful place."

Parking payments will contribute to:

• Maintaining 75 miles of paths and rides and their bridges and culverts

• Keeping fire breaks open to help manage wildfires and responding to wildfires and the threat of wildfires

• Improving access for those with restricted mobility, impaired vision or other difficulties. Such projects will require dedicated fundraising, but once in place, they need to be maintained

• Managing the impacts of growing numbers of visitors

• Engaging with our visitors, answering questions, providing guidance and giving advice and assistance when needed

• Responding to emergencies when people get into difficulty on the Forest and need to be supported, located or receive first aid

• Protecting the Forest by preventing and dealing with encroachments, responding to illegal use, and managing permitted and licensed uses.

• Working with the public and the police to manage dog related incidents including worrying livestock, wildlife and horse riders

• Surveying and managing trees on our boundary and the many miles of Forest roads and tracks

• Responding to frequent fly tipping incidents

• Managing a volunteer team of 130 people who support the Forest throughout the year

• Providing information and interpretation about the Forest

• Providing education to children, working with local schools and other groups

• Maintaining the buildings that make up the Forest Centre – the offices, workshops, shop, picnic site and tables, public toilets, and Education Barn

• Maintaining and replacing our vehicles, and all the tools and equipment needed to manage the Forest

With regard to parking concessions, Mr Adler says the Forest is aware of the problems many people are facing with the cost-of-living increase at present. He said:

"We are offering significant concessions for a number of households who may struggle with the new payments.

"We said from the start that these concessions were something we wanted to do, and especially at this time, it is something we must do."

An annual concessionary pass will cost just £5 if you are on Universal or Pension Credit or any of the legacy benefits including:

• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
•  Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Working Tax Credit.

To access this concession, applicants will need a proof of benefit letter from the Department of Work and Pensions. 

Applicants needing help with the system of obtaining concessionary passes can ring Horizon Parking’s Permits Team on 01245 392289, Option 4, Monday to Friday between 9am – 5pm, but will not be able to buy passes over the phone as this must be done online.

For those not in receipt of those credits or benefits but who visit regularly, the annual pass, at £80 per year, offers a substantial discount compared to paying separately each day. 

For those who visit the Forest only in the winter, a six-month Winter Pass is just £50, valid from October until the end of March. This will be discounted in the first year to reflect the start of the scheme in November.

Annual passes may be bought yearly with a one-off payment or via a monthly direct debit. 

Monthly direct debit payments will be slightly higher at £8 per month compared to the one-off purchase.

Blue Badge holders can park for free, as long as the Badge is displayed clearly in their vehicle’s windscreen.

Meanwhile, parking attendants from Horizon have already started work, and are currently visiting all 45 car parks to start meeting visitors to the Forest.

James said:

"The attendants are taking the opportunity to speak with our visitors to the Forest and assist them with the change.

"We have asked Horizon Parking to introduce the parking payments in an approachable way, as our visitors adapt to the change."

Annual and Winter parking passes can be bought from November 14 on the Horizon Parking Portal https://horizonparkingportal.co.uk/

Map showing Ashdown Forest car parks

For full details, go to https://ashdownforest.org/

How can visitors pay?

Payment for parking can be made in several ways:

1. Purchase annual (or winter) passes through the parking company’s online parking portal (details will be provided on car park signs and our website).

2. Call the parking company to purchase hourly or daily tickets through the Pay by Phone line.

3. Use any one of five selected car parking apps to pay for a ticket.

4. Visit the Forest Centre during working hours to pay by cash.

5. Use one of the two machines at the Forest Centre to pay by card.