A couple who stopped in the New Forest for what they thought would be a quick ice cream break have been left furious after an unexpected penalty landed on their doormat.
Colin Beck, 73, and his wife had visited the area near Fordingbridge, Hampshire, when they pulled into the Godshill Cricket forestry car park and bought two Mr Whippys from an ice cream van. But after eating them in their car, the couple were later hit with a £100 parking charge.
Ice cream seller's advice
Colin said the ice cream seller had told them they could stay for 15 minutes before they needed to pay for parking. The couple say they were gone in less than 10 minutes, but a Forestry England warden had recorded their number plate.
The pensioner has refused to pay and is appealing the charge. “They can get stuffed,” Colin told the Daily Echo. “That’s the principle, really, isn’t it? The ice cream man says he’s there all the time and he says you can park there to eat your ice cream, but what are you expected to do? Buy an ice cream and then drive along the road eating it which is dangerous?”
New parking charges
The incident comes after Forestry England introduced parking charges across the New Forest earlier this year. On April 20, charges were brought in at all 129 of the organisation’s previously free car parks. The rules apply to all vehicles, including motorbikes and those displaying blue badges.
Drivers are charged £1.50 for an hour, £3 for two hours, £5 for four hours or £8 for stays exceeding four hours.
Colin, who has been visiting the New Forest for “donkey’s years”, said the changes had made him question the future of the area. “It’s another way of screwing the motorists,” he said. “It must have cost them a fortune to put in all the notices, the ones that do have car park machines, all that sort of stuff. It’s just crazy.”
Impact on ice cream sellers
He also said he felt sorry for ice cream sellers operating in the area, claiming the introduction of charges could discourage visitors. “The New Forest is meant to be a free place, and I feel sorry for the guys that have got the ice cream businesses, because it must have hit them really hard.”
Forestry England said motorists generally had 15 minutes before they needed to pay, while parking rangers monitored the sites. A spokesperson said the organisation did not dictate how drivers used that time, and that every car park had signs explaining the terms and the option to pay later. They said the system allowed motorists time to use the “pay later” option before a parking charge notice was issued.
But Colin remains unhappy with the situation and said he believed the policy needed to be reconsidered. “They’ve got to rethink their policy,” he said. “I mean, it’s my word against the guy in the van.” He described the penalty as “a bit heavy handed” and said he was simply trying to stop and enjoy an ice cream.
Wider complaints
The dispute comes amid wider complaints about motorists being caught out by new parking rules at popular beauty spots. In North Wales, eight Devon bikers reportedly faced a combined £960 in penalties after stopping at Llyn Tegid in Eryri National Park, where new automatic number plate recognition cameras had been introduced. The riders said they were unaware of a new £1 motorcycle parking charge and would have paid had they realised.
