PARKING charges look set to be introduced at Witley’s Rodborough Common – if cost-cutting proposals by Surrey County Council to help plug a £100 million budget deficit are agreed.

Surrey’s move follows the introduction of parking charges in August 2016 by the National Trust for non members at its Witley Common site, despite 80 objections.

The trust said it would bring Webb Road car park in line with many of its other car parks in the Surrey Hills area and the money generated would be used to help maintain the countryside and carry out nature conservation work.

Council bosses at its Kingston HQ have asked residents for their views by Monday, November 6, on proposals to introduce pay and display at its countryside car parks at Rodborough Common, Chobham, Wisley, Ockham, Whitmoor and Norbury Park.

The council has already been granted planning permission to introduce three pay-and-display machines at popular beauty spot Newlands Corner, near Guildford.

Save Newlands Corner, a campaign group launched to oppose the scheme, protested the plans amount to “monetising the countryside”.

The also claim introducing charges will prevent poorer people from visiting the site.

The county council said charging at Newlands Corner was needed in order to save money and make Surrey Wildlife Trust, which runs the council’s countryside spaces, self-sufficient by 2021.

Justifying the move, the council said continued government funding cuts, rising costs and increasing demands on services, meant its need to find savings has reached “unprecedented levels”.

Some of these savings need to come from the countryside budget, the spokesman added. Without funding, the countryside would become “inaccessible, overgrown and littered”.

Introducing charges at car parks would generate a revenue that would cover the cost of regular rubbish collection, cutting trees and bushes, and infrastructure repairs or improvements.

It would also support the safeguarding of sensitive habitats and species, enhance biodiversity and the landscape, and support recreation, health and wellbeing both now and in the future, the council said.

Councillor Miek Goodman, cabinet member for the environment (pictured), said: “This consultation is a vital part of our plans to preserve and improve Surrey’s beautiful countryside for years to come.

“With the council needing to save more than £100million from its annual budget, our aim is to make the management of Surrey’s countryside self-financing.

“Charging at our car parks could form part of that with those benefiting most contributing more so everyone can still enjoy the wonderful countryside we all value.

“The money raised would be ring-fenced to maintain and improve our countryside.”

• To respond to the county consultation go to www.surreycc.gov.uk and search for ‘pay and conserve’ or call 0300 200 1003 for a paper copy.