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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Compulsory parking charge by ANPR introduced at Attenborough Nature Reserve

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is operating on site and parking charges are now compulsory.

In recent years the funding environment has become ever more challenging and despite focussed efforts to reduced costs, the level of income required to sustain our operations has inevitably increased.

In 2019, following a major review of our income and expenditure, we conducted a thorough assessment of the options for generating additional income through car parking.

This included a number of detailed observational surveys which highlighted that only 34% of visitors were contributing via our voluntary donation approach.

Having fully investigated and modelled the various options to increase donation levels, and piloting efforts including increased signage, the decision was taken that we need to move to a system of compulsory charging.

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In making this decision we were determined to ensure that this transition was handled professionally and our focus was to find a system that would generate the maximum level of additional income whilst ensuring that enforcement was handled sensitively.

Alongside the introduction of any new charging system we were also determined to ensure that members would not be obliged to pay additional charges.

Timings

We switch from donations to compulsory charging on 1st November 2021 – once some much needed improvements to the car park and work to reduce the likelihood of future flooding preventing visitor access to the car park and nature centre has been completed. Existing Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT) members and permit car park permit holders are able to register their vehicles with us to avoid being charged. Staff and Attenborough volunteers will also be able to register their vehicles to avoid penalty charges.

Enforcement

To ensure that we are able to generate much needed income to invest in the reserve and our wider charitable delivery, car park charges will be enforced. However, we have chosen an operating model that does not rely on punitive enforcement. Whilst the Trust could have saved money had we chosen a different approach, we were determined to choose a responsible delivery partner and we will be responsible for setting the terms of all future enforcement.

The cost of parking at Attenborough Nature Reserve is £3 for the day

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