What is happening?
We are working to upgrade our parking systems at our main visitor centres across the Forest of Dean (Forest of Dean Cycle Centre, Symonds Yat Rock, Beechenhurst and Mallards Pike). The parking payment machines at these sites will be upgraded to a new cashless system that uses the latest number plate recognition technology.
ANPR stands for Automatic Number Plate Recognition. It is a parking system that recognises car number plates when they enter and leave a car park. It calculates how long a car has been parked.
How will it work?
From a visitor point of view, very little will change other than that payment will now be card only, or via the RingGo Parking app. You will still pay for parking on arrival, and there will be brand new ticket machines to use. There will also be cameras that read your number plate as you enter and leave the car park.
I am a member, how will it work for me?
Members’ vehicle registration plates will be automatically recognised when parking in car parks using ANPR and so you do not need to visit a pay station. You also won’t need to display your membership pass at these sites.
It is really important that you let us know your vehicle registration and keep us up to date if you change vehicles. You can do this by logging into your account and updating your details.
If you experience any issue with your Membership, please contact the membership team at membership@forestryengland.uk , or call 0300 068 0400 so we can help (Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm).
Please note: Not all car parks in the Forest of Dean will be upgraded to ANPR so you will still need to display your membership pass at some sites such as Wenchford and Cannop Ponds.
I just want to drop someone off, will there be a grace period for short visits?
Yes, for shorter visits such as drop-offs or collections, you can park for 20 minutes free of charge.
Why are you making these changes?
This automated system will allow us to operate more efficiently and ensure staff and funds are more focused on the important role of running the forest rather than administrative tasks.
Financial sustainability is crucial to the long-term security of the nation’s forests. Money raised from car parking will be reinvested into the woodlands Forestry England care for and with your help, we will be able to grow more forests, create more habitats for wildlife and extend our visitor offer to improve people’s wellbeing.
We offer a membership scheme which provides excellent value for money for regular visitors, and could save you money.
Why don’t you offer a local residents discount?
We are proud to manage land for wildlife to flourish, for you to enjoy, and as a sustainable source of timber for a green economy. Most of our income is self-generated and we use this money to take care of our visitor facilities and manage our forests. This means looking after things like footpaths, toilets, bins, planting trees, providing a range of learning opportunities, providing information to visitors, putting up signs to show the way and creating a safe, healthy and family-friendly environment in which to spend time.
Unfortunately we are unable to offer a discount on parking specifically for local residents, but we do offer a very reasonably priced membership scheme.
Why are you going cashless?
While we understand the fact that introducing a new parking system is never popular or convenient for everyone, the money generated helps us to care for the nation’s forests for the benefit and enjoyment of all.
The new payment system helps to reduce vandalism to the machines and saves us money, which means we can spend more on looking after the forest that we love. We cannot have every method to pay available in every forest.
To make this change as simple as possible, we’ve informed people about it on-site and on our website. The pay machines are easy to use and suitable for everyone. Alternatively, you can use the RingGo app, through the RingGo website or by calling the RingGo dedicated phone number - 0203 046 006.
Some people choose to become a Forestry England member, which includes free parking as one of the benefits so you can simply park and go!
Can I use my parking ticket to park at other sites?
No, if you are visiting multiple sites you will need to pay to park at each one. A Forest of Dean membership includes unlimited parking at all six of our pay and display car parks and could save you money if you enjoy visiting regularly.
I just want to drop someone off, will there be a grace period for short visits?
Yes, we will be offering a short grace period to allow you to drop people off, or visit the bike shop at the Cycle Centre for example. We haven't figured out exactly how long this time will be, but we will share more information soon.
Won’t introducing ANPR lead to more people parking on the roadside?
We ask all our visitors to park responsibly and use the car park facilities provided. Parking on the roadside can be dangerous and we ask our visitors to respect the local communities by keeping all roads clear. If we see people parking dangerously on the roadside we will inform the police, and we would encourage any of our visitors to do the same.
I am not happy with the answer I have been given. What can I do?
Please refer any further questions or concerns to: fodrangers@forestryengland.uk