Forestry England have released details  of their car park charging scheme for the New Forest which will start in Spring 2026. The New Forest is the only national park which doesn’t charge for parking, and given the financial and recreational pressures FE find themselves under it was, NFDOG believes, inevitable. Dog walkers make up the largest recreational group, and thus will be significantly affected by the proposal.

Although there was no public consultation, the New Forest Dog Owners Group asked formally for a number of points to be considered. This resulted in a meeting in September, where we presented our case and which clarified details.

Our first and key request was for a significant discount for local people and especially dog walkers, and a simple way to pay. FE have an annual scheme nationally – currently £94.00 a year – which will include the New Forest. It’ll also be available as a monthly direct debit of around £8.00. This membership is annual, it’ll capture your car registration number and after that there will be no more to do for a year.

The system is not, as rumoured, driven by automatic number plate recognition, but an additional number of rangers (around 10) will be employed to check car parks. The alternative ways of paying will be cashless machines in a few car park, otherwise a mobile phone app up to the following day midnight to pay. If a visitor for example buys a three-hour ticket, they’ll be able to move between car parks in that time to explore different places. Signage is to be sensitive and minimised so as not to spoil the forest, and there will be highway-side reminders.

While recognising this scheme is a reduction (costing around 25p per day against a much higher per-hour charge from £1.50 per hour to £8.00 for the day) we are disappointed that there isn’t a further local scheme. For example, people in the Forest of Dean  and many other FE districts (35 in total) pay £50.00 or less a year for just ‘their’ forest car parking. FE say they understand this, but the local schemes don’t apply everywhere, in general they’re on smaller land holdings and no more will be created.

There’s a second reason why local schemes gain advantage. The annual fee will be set nationally. If Forestry England want, say, to implement a large scheme in the North, they could raise the national cost to help fund it. That would hit pockets in the New Forest. But those in forests with local schemes wouldn’t be so affected.

So, even while the proposal is a significant discount, we’re disappointed. NFDOG and will continue to lobby for localism, alongside other groups who feel the same as us.

In terms of simplicity – as little as one transaction a year – we couldn’t ask for more. With regrets we didn’t ask about people who have neither a mobile phone or computer to do the annual scheme, but we can address that if asked, and FE have subsequently told us they’re working on this.

We asked that the number of car parking spaces remains stable. It’s currently around 4,000, down from 5,500 in the 1980’s. Most closed pre-2000. We were told there is a determination to keep the same number of spaces, although it’s not part of this scheme (no closures or reductions are envisaged as charging is bought in, that was a false rumour). But some car parks in sensitive areas may close over time in line with other strategies and requirements. When this happens FE say, extra spaces will open elsewhere to retain the status quo. It is very unlikely though that any new car parks will be created, and again, given the pressure, this is slightly disappointing.

Our fourth request was that those who work in the forest, and keep it maintained and tidy (Commoners, litter pickers, forest workers) should not pay. This has been accepted by FE from the start (we now know) although detail has to be worked out. For example, any system should do its best to prevent avoidance and exploitation. This needs resolving but a ‘green list’ of those who can apply for exemption is on its way.

The money raised will be spent locally, and indeed may not cover the current deficit entirely. But it offers a better chance that car parks are properly maintained, signs are clearer, and that the natural environment can be better enhanced and protected. But it won’t disappear into a national black hole, but rather benefit the New Forest.

If you want to know more, Forestry England’s announcement is here: https://www.forestryengland.uk/news/parking-charges-will-help-fund-vital-work-care-the-new-forest . The officers we (Heather and David, NFDOG Co-Chairman) met were generous with their time and answers and volunteered that they were happy to keep the dialogue going. In terms of that, we and the New Forest Association are asking for a joint meeting (for members only) where FE can answer any further questions and explain the reasons for their decisions.

No one will like paying for something which was previously free to them, but we feel that representing dog owners, we’ve been listened to, and engaged with, while at least one key point remains (for us at least and other groups) to be discussed.