We are very sad to say that cashless parking charges have today, 9 July 2018, started at Newlands Corner despite our best efforts to stop them.

These charges are not democratic, economic or efficient. They also discriminate against people on lower incomes and those who cannot pay by card or smart phone.

The document linked below sets out our reasoning against parking charges at Newlands Corner. We believe our case is unarguable. Surrey County Council (SCC) thinks it can make a big profit. Time will show it is wrong.

We are pleased, however, that, to date, we have managed to curb the worst excesses of SCC’s ambitions. We have stopped SCC developing a huge restaurant, shops and coach park across the view and a series of large artificial play structures through “one of the four most important ancient woodlands in Western Europe”. This ancient woodland is home to 3 out of the 12 most threatened mammals in Britain. SCC has not dropped these ambitions.

We will continue to challenge the legal and financial issues. Parking charges have been imposed against the wishes of the vast majority of local people and with a complete lack of common sense.

Our vision remains the same – Newlands Corner should be free to access, with its countryside left unspoilt and in a natural state.  We will stay on the case.

 

Sally Blake

Coordinator of the Save Newlands Corner Campaign Group

Click here to read: Reasoning against parking charges at Newlands Corner