Parking charges at Frensham Great Pond to rise because of 'irresponsible visitors'
Parking charges at one of Surrey's favourite beauty spots are going to rise because 'people don't behave responsibly.
That's according to Waverley Borough Council.
The changes at Frensham Great Pond car park come into effect as of 12 June 2023.
The charges will now be ÂŁ1.60 up to an hour (up from ÂŁ1.50), ÂŁ3.30 for 1-2 hours (up from ÂŁ3), ÂŁ4.40 for 2-4 hours (up from ÂŁ4) and ÂŁ6.50 for all day (up from ÂŁ6).
Ongoing issues at Frensham Ponds
When the weather is nice people flock to the area to enjoy the water and outdoor space.
But over the last few summers there have been consistent issues with illegal parking on local roads and litter.
After the late May bank holiday in 2021 Waverley Borough Council issued a warning following multiple reports that people had been parking illegally when the car park was full.
In 2020 Surrey Police closed several roads around Frensham Ponds due to dangerous illegal parking.
Cllr Andy MacLeod, Waverley Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Operations and Enforcement, said:
“The popularity of Frensham and the increased necessity for more site enforcement and marshalling due to those visitors who don’t behave responsibly, alongside the loss of central government funding to pay for this enforcement, has led to the need for increased parking charges.
“Frensham is one of our most popular greenspaces and the new parking tariff will also help us to recoup some of the costs needed to maintain the site and its wildlife to a high standard.”
Cllr Kika Mirylees, Waverley Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing, Parks and Leisure, added:
“We’d like to remind those visiting Frensham, especially during the summer months when we see very high volumes of visitors, to please help us look after the site by respecting the environment, especially with regards to littering which has such a negative impact on the natural, rare habitat and wildlife that we work so hard to conserve.
"We have many protected species and unusual plants on the site and it’s important we keep the site in good condition to help these species thrive. We would also remind visitors that BBQs and bonfires are not allowed on site due to the risk of wildfires, particularly in the hotter months.
“Additionally, please park only in the car park as it is not allowed anywhere else and illegal parking will be enforced. If the car park is full, the site will be full, in which case, why not visit one of our other many beautiful greenspaces in the borough.”