The fees will be brought in to help Forestry England ‘continue to look after this special area in the face of rising costs and visitor numbers’.

Charges could begin in spring 2026, subject to appropriate consents.

Prices will start at £1.50 for one hour, £3 for two hours and £5 for four hours. Drivers will be charged £8 to park for more than four hours.

Payments will be made via the RingGo mobile phone app or website. They can be made until midnight the following day to account for poor signal.

Tickets will be transferable between all Forestry England car parks in the New Forest, meaning drivers can visit several locations with one payment.

Regular visitors can buy annual memberships for less than £2 a week, offering unlimited parking in all Forestry England car parks across the country.

The car park for Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary(Image: Mike Smith/Geograph)

Craig Harrison, forest management director for Forestry England, said: “The New Forest is a very special place.

“Not everyone is aware of the huge amount of work it takes to look after the area including planting thousands of trees and caring for the forest’s special wildlife.

“We clear litter, remove fly-tips, speak to visitors, and patrol the area every day of the year.

“We also maintain hundreds of trails, paths and car parks so that people can enjoy getting out into nature.

“This vital work is no longer affordable given rising prices and visitor numbers.

“Charging for car parking will play an important role in us being able to continue to look after this precious landscape.”

But the proposals have proved contentious.

Councillor David Harrison(Image: David Harrison)

In April, Totton councillor David Harrison said the charges would amount to a “major change” for people who live and work in the forest and visitors.

“I don’t favour the introduction of car parking charges but have to accept that it may be imposed without the support of councillors, board members and representatives of all the organisations that have a stake in the New Forest National Park,” he said.

In August, Chris Basham, who lives in Downton, wrote to the Journal to criticise the proposals and call for regular forest users to be considered.

He said: “Forest parking has always been free and unimpeded. Now, it is to become chargeable and restricted.

“I suggest that Forestry England drop their expensive plans and raise money in other ways.”

Forestry England looks after around half of the New Forest National Park, providing 130 car parks, 10 campsites and hundreds of miles of paths and cycle routes.

Its work also includes tree planting, conserving wildlife, and restoring heathlands and rivers.

But Forestry England says less than 20 per cent of its core funding comes from the government, with the rest coming from its own activities.

Caring for the forest has become ‘increasingly expensive’ – including the cost of maintaining its car parks, which has risen by 50 per cent in three years.

The money raised will help Forestry England avoid closing car parks or trails and ‘significantly boost the numbers of rangers on patrol’.

People who support the New Forest through commoning activities and other key tasks will still be able to park for free.