PARKING fees at a number of Essex country parks could increase. Essex County Council charges for parking at Belhus Woods Country Park, Cudmore Grove Country Park, Danbury Country Park, Great Notley Country Park, Hadleigh Country Park, Thorndon Country Park and Weald Country Park.

The proposed changes mean one hour parking is set to go from £3 to £3.15. Parking for two hours is set to go from £4.20 to £4.40 and for up to four hours from £5.30 to £5.50.

All day parking is set to go from £6.30 to £6.55. A standard Explorer Pass – which allows free parking at all eight of the Essex Country Parks and discounts in many cafés – is set to increase from £85 to £88.50.

A statement from the council as part of a decision notice said: "The proposed fees and charges aim to generate additional income to contain inflationary pressures on expenditure across the country parks service, enabling the service to continue delivering to the same standard without significantly increasing the cost of doing so to the council.

"These increases would generate an additional £38,000 to offset against the cost of the country parks service, if visitor numbers and volumes at each tariff remained the same or similar, and this anticipated uplift is incorporated into the service's 2026/27 budgeted position."