Newlands Corner: Petition calls for rethink on parking charge

Newlands Corner is visited by thousands of walkers, dog owners and cyclists every year

More than 4,500 people have signed a petition calling for a rethink on plans to charge for car parking at a Surrey beauty spot.

Surrey County Council's cabinet voted to charge £1 an hour from next year to park at Newlands Corner near Guildford.

The site is visited by 550,000 people annually but the council wants to spend £400,000 introducing a family play trail and improving the toilets.

The council said it wanted to make countryside sites "self-financing".

'Utterly unacceptable'

The parking charges would pay for the first phase of upgrading work to be completed.

A second phase would involve work to the current cafe and providing shopping and educational space in a new visitor centre.

Richard Harrold, who started the online petition, said it was "utterly unacceptable" to introduce the charges.

Vivianne Norris, from Chilsworth, who signed it, said: "There is no need to change what is already a successful amenity for all, especially for retired or disadvantaged people often with limited means."

Charlotte Haibrock, from Guildford, said: "It's a disgrace to charge people to enjoy nature. We do not want the place commercialised as proposed."

The council believes the current visitor centre is in need of improvement

A spokesman for the council said the cabinet's decision was likely to be "called in" and looked at again by the Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Scrutiny Board. No date has yet been set.

"Our ultimate aim is to make countryside sites become self-financing due to the heavy strain on our budgets from falling roads funding and rising demand for adult social care and school places," he said.