PARKING fees are set to rise at Essex County Council-operated parks. County parks, such as Belhus Woods, Cudmore Grove, Danbury, Great Notley, Hadleigh, Thorndon, and South Weald, will all be affected by the price increase of about 20p for short stays reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
The cost of parking up to one hour is set to rise from £2.80 to £3, while parking for up to two hours is set to go from £4 to £4.20. Parking for up to four hours is set to increase from £5.20 to £5.30. However all day parking will remain the same at £6.30.
The price of an explorer pass for older people has been frozen for this year priced at £63 and the age of eligibility remains 66 and above. Last year, the price increased from £57 to £63 and the age of eligibility increased from 60 to 66, but this year it faces no changes.
Essex County Council says last year it had around 850,000 visitors—about 50,000 fewer than the year before—and generated circa £1.1 million from car parking-related income, which represents about half the country parks service’s income.
In 2024/25 year the country parks service had a net expenditure budget £641,498. The net expenditure budget for country parks for 2025/26 is £595,000, excluding central overheads.
It says the reduction in net budget is primarily due to a £50,000 saving built into the new budget which will come from a new structure to the park cafes. However, it added a parking fee increase was needed to offset inflation.
A statement from the council added: “It is important that an adjustment of fees is now made to reflect the current rate of inflation.
“The proposed fees and charges for 2025/26 have been prepared with an aim of generating additional income to contain inflationary pressures across the country parks service, enabling the service to continue delivering to the same standard without significantly increasing the cost of doing so to the council.
“These increases would generate an additional £39,500 to offset against the cost of the country parks service, if visitor numbers and volumes at each tariff remained the same or similar, and this anticipated uplift is incorporated into the service’s 2025/26 budgeted position of a net cost of £595,000.”
