Backlash at parking fees for Sandwell Valley

Sandwell Council has come under fire after introducing charges at the country park for the first time and is facing calls to reverse its decision.

Around 80 people have signed a petition over the last week launched by a campaign group which is calling for the new charges to be scrapped. They believe they could lead to a drop in people visiting the West Bromwich attraction.

Parking has always been free at the country park but visitors will now find themselves paying from 40p for an hour to £2 if they stay for more than four hours. Around 200,000 cars park at the site each year.

Council chiefs said the change was necessary to ensure funds could be generated for the upkeep of the site and new attractions including a paintball activity centre and outdoor cinema as cash would otherwise have to be used from existing budgets that are already stretched due to Government cuts.

The move is expected to make £200,000 a year but the council insists the money will be used only for the maintenance of the park.

Under the changes, people will now have to pay to park at Dartmouth Park, Swan Pool, Forge Mill Lake and Lloyd Street as well as the country farm. Visitors will be charged 40p for an hour, 80p for two hours, £1.20 for three hours and £1.60 for four hours. Anything above four hours will cost £2. The charges will apply between 9am and 6pm. Parking after 6pm will be free.

Karl Hawkes, aged 43, from the Sandwell Valley campaign group, who has used the park since he was a child, said: "It is a park where people come to walk their dogs, jog and ride their bikes. It was a park that was created for the people - and you can only get there by car. This is not a car park tax, it's a tax on coming to the park.

"A park is something that should be free and be there for people. The council is always talking about trying to get people walking and now they are taxing people who are trying to be more healthy."

Public pressure previously led to plans for parking charges at the country park to be scrapped last year and Mr Hawkes, who lives in Great Barr, is hopeful the same can happen again.

He said: "40p is not much but if you go there seven days a week it becomes a lot. If I pay 40p I then have to make sure I am back to the car in time or I get a £50 fine. Someone taking their dog for a walk has to get their dogs out the car and makes sure they have change - it just creates problems.

"People who live in Great Barr like me can go to Sutton Park or Perry Hill Park and just not go to Sandwell Valley, and that's just sad for the valley."