Visitors to some of Worcestershire's most cherished countryside locations could soon have to pay to park their cars, as the county council seeks new ways to tackle a severe financial crisis.
Budget Pressures Drive Controversial Plan
Worcestershire County Council, grappling with a daunting £70 million budget gap, has proposed introducing parking charges at several of its beauty spot car parks. The move, outlined in budget papers, is forecast to generate approximately £90,000 in revenue during the 2026/27 financial year.
The sites earmarked for the new charges include popular destinations such as Worcester Woods Country Park, Hartlebury Common, Blackstone Picnic Place, Pershore Bridges Picnic Place, and Eckington Wharf Picnic Place. The council has not yet specified what the level of charges will be.
Councillors Voice Concerns Over Access and Displacement
The proposal was met with immediate criticism during a budget scrutiny meeting on Tuesday, 10th January 2026. Conservative councillor Karen May warned that the policy would simply "displace parking from car parks, where you have to pay, onto nearby lanes," potentially creating new traffic hazards.
Labour's Richard Udall argued the charges would "damage people's access to the countryside." He suggested alternative methods to raise revenue at Worcester Woods, such as marquee hire, hosting weddings and events, and organising car boot sales.
Reform cabinet member Justin Bowen, responding in the absence of leader Jo Monk, stated the cabinet was "all ears" to suggestions.
A History of Public Opposition and Implementation Hurdles
This is not the first time parking charges have been proposed for these areas. Cllr Udall claimed to have seen paperwork indicating plans for Worcester Woods as far back as June, though finance chief Rob Wharton had then said there were "no current plans."
More notably, the council's previous Conservative administration approved plans for charges at Worcester Woods in 2018, only to withdraw them from the 2019 budget following a major public outcry. Thousands signed a petition, and the council's scrutiny board opposed the move.
The current chairman of that board, Cllr Tom Wells, predicted ward councillors for the affected sites would now be "inundated" with emails from unhappy residents. Cllr Adrian Hardman noted that implementing charges at Eckington Bridge would be difficult and that parish councillors were likely to resist the changes, though he added, "I'm fairly neutral on it myself."
Councillors were also advised that capital investment would be required for ticket machines, barriers, signage, and legal support for ongoing enforcement, adding further complexity to the cost-saving measure.
