Parking fees coming to Sandwell Valley as council seeks savings

Sandwell Council says the move will generate £200,000 which will be used to fund the upkeep of the site and also new attractions including a new restaurant.

A water sports centre, an indoor children's play area and an floodlit football pitch are among the other options being considered.

Parking fees, ranging from 40p for up to an hour and £2 for more than four hours, are due to be approved by Sandwell Council's cabinet on November 11.

It comes after a previous proposal to introduce a flat rate fee of £1 at car parks for Sandwell Valley park and farm, Dartmouth Park, Forge Mill Farm and Swan Pool was scrapped in July 2014 after it proved unpopular with visitors.

The council said the decision to introduce fees now was being made in the wake of the authority needing to make £40 million cuts in the next two years.

Councillor Maria Crompton, cabinet member for highways and environment, said: "The council is taking this decision with reluctance, but it is vital we find the money to continue to fund maintenance of the Valley facilities and to introduce new attractions.

"Without money raised from the proposed car park charges, we would have to fund the work in the Valley from existing reduced budgets.

"The farms, café and the walks in the Valley fields and woods are a great asset to the council and the people of the borough who enjoy them, and they need to be properly maintained," she said.

"We have invested heavily over the years in the Sandwell Valley Country Park and have been awarded the Green Flag status for it and the adjoining Dartmouth Park.

"We now need to keep up the standards and expand facilities and I am sure that the many visitors to this wonderful park will not feel it unreasonable for us to ask for a small contribution to the costs of this work from car parking charges," added Councillor Crompton.

People will be able to park for free from 7am until 9am and after 6pm. The other fees include an 80p charge for up to two hours parking, £1.20 for up to three hours and £1.60 for up to four hours.

Regular visitors can get a 12-month season ticket for £40.

Up to 200,000 cars visit the Sandwell Valley parks each year and about 12,000 visitors arrive by car during Bank Holiday weeks.