Popular Chichester Beach Destination Updates Its Parking Policy

West Wittering Estate has announced an update to its car park pre-booking policy.

The company said the change is being introduced to support its 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, which they say will help ensure all visitors 'have a safe and enjoyable day at the beach'.

Effective from August 1, visitors will be encouraged to book their parking space at least one day before their visit. This means they will know they have parking secured before they travel – avoiding a wasted journey – and benefit from savings of up to 25% on parking fees. Pre-booking on day of visit will no longer be available.

The estate says pre-booking has already proven popular, with over seven in 10 visitors in the busy summer months taking advantage of the offer. What is changing is that visitors will need to book at least one day in advance. Greater flexibility is also being added to the booking system.

The date of a booking may be altered free of charge, or cancelled completely for an admin fee of £1.

A spokesperson for 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 we need to let them know the car park is sold out.

"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.

“If you choose to travel without pre-booking, you can still pay on-site using the pay and display points. However, availability cannot be guaranteed and once the car park is full, cars which are not pre-booked will not be allowed into the car park. There is no other parking in the surrounding area.”

The pre-booking system was originally introduced to help control numbers at the beach during the Covid-19 pandemic. The estate says it proved a helpful tool to improve the planning and management of beach services and has had a positive effect on the local road network, which could become heavily congested, particularly on busy summer days.

A spokesperson for West Wittering Estate explained: 

“Before Covid, we might park over 6,000 cars on a hot summer day. Now we are able to limit numbers to about half that. This has made a big difference to traffic congestion on local roads. It also means the visitors who do come have a more pleasant day out.”

For information on how to book, visit westwitteringestate.co.uk.