Drivers clock up £50k charges in six months at Sandwell Valley Country Park

Charges were brought in at the West Bromwich beauty spot for the first time in November after council bosses said they could no longer afford to fund maintenance of the park.

And cash gained from parking has shot up in recent weeks as more families visited with the improving weather and spring bank holidays.

Drivers have to pay from 40p for an hour up to £2 for more than four hours. Those who don’t pay face fines of £50.

And the money coming in has piled up, with thousands of families heading to the popular beauty spot.

Since charges were introduced, at total of £54,180 has been generated from the pay machines.

Sandwell Council bosses said all the cash would be invested back into maintaining the site.

The amount has soared in the last three months, as expected, with more people heading to Sandwell Valley during spring.

A total of £18,300 was raised between November and February.

The cash-strapped authority came under fire when it was announced last year people would be made to pay for the first time. Parking had previously always been free.

Council bosses have stressed the authority is not profiting from the move but raising funds to be put back into the park and despite the controversy, the figures show there are many who are willing to pay to park.

They argued they could no longer afford to pay for the upkeep of the site, including maintenance of the car parks at Sandwell Valley due to huge cuts to its budget, and refused to back down over the issue.

Charges were brought in at car parks across the site, at Lodge Hill Road, Swan Pool and Forge Mill Farm Visitor Centre daily between 9am and 6pm.

Blue badge holders can still park for free. A 12-month parking pass is available for £40.

The council needs to save £20 million over the next three years and bosses said they needed to prioritise other services.

There were 56 different reasons put forward as to why the charges should not be introduced.