PLANS for permanent extra coach parking and facilities at Stonehenge has been unveiled.

English Heritage says visitor numbers are far higher than originally planned with 60 per cent of people visiting the attraction by coach.

This has led to problems at peak times with drivers “flyparking” or “double parking” on laybys, causing a safety risk to visitors, and coaches without bookings are turned away.

If the plans gained approval it would give the visitor centre 53 permanent coach spaces and room for 26 motorhomes, plus a new toilet.

English Heritage confirmed last month it would be axing its fleet of land trains which were unable to cope with higher than anticipated demand – currently 1.3million people a year visit Stonehenge.

To accommodate a shuttle bus only approach, a new turnaround area will be built.

Stonehenge general manager Kate Davies said: “Our own experience since we opened our new facilities at Stonehenge in December 2013, together with feedback from industry colleagues and visitors and extensive research have all shown that these key improvements could make a massive difference in the future, whilst maintaining the integrity of the World Heritage Site.

“This is about English Heritage being able to provide the best possible welcome for coaches visiting Stonehenge.”

The plan was slammed by senior druid King Arthur Pendragon who accused English Heritage of “milking” Stonehenge by increasing the maximum visitors from 600 to 900 people per hour. “Looks like they want to ‘pack the paying tourists in’ by at least half as many again,” he said.

“And as if that was not bad enough, they now want to ‘charge’ us for attending our Solstice Celebration. They are pricing many pilgrims who have attended since 2000 out.

“They don’t want us there, they have their eye on a far bigger prize. The tourist dollar.”