We are so very pleased to confirm that, at the Surrey County Council Cabinet meeting this afternoon, approval was given to the removal of the parking charges in the Surrey Countryside Estate from 1 April 2020.

It was accepted that the scheme had not been a financial success, it had also deterred residents, and that times have changed with a new emphasis on health and well being.

The Council will remove parking charges at Newlands Corner, and it is hoped the landowner, Albury Estate, will then keep the site free to access.  The Council will also remove charges at the sites it owns – Norbury Park, and Chobham, Ockham, Rodborough Commons, and Whitmoor Common where the charges had not yet started.

The Council said it wants to ensure the countryside is accessible to all, and there is a genuine desire to promote the health and well being of residents. It wants people to come back and enjoy the countryside.

The Council also agreed to develop proposals for the introduction of a voluntary payment scheme to help towards the costs of managing the countryside and public access.

Thank you so much to all the people who have helped to achieve this result. 

Thank you also to Surrey County Council for a forward-looking decision.

 

Click here to read the policy paper agreed by the Cabinet.