Council addresses 'dangerous' parking situation at Wendover Woods

Buckinghamshire Council has cracked down on “dangerous” parking near Wendover Woods by installing bollards and filling in a lay-by.

The council said it took action near the woods after reviewing locations across the county, following reports of “blocked roads, congestion and dangerous parking” near areas of natural beauty.

Parking restrictions are now in place on the narrow Hale Lane, where drivers had created lay-bys with many potholes.

Motorists would park up along the road for free, including outside the Georgian former public school, the Hale, before accessing Wendover Woods by a path.

Councillor Steven Broadbent said: “This is a single tracked road where at times it has been almost impassable, making it extremely difficult for local business traffic including farmers to get their vehicles through.

“Consistent parking on the verge had also led to it being worn away, creating dangerous ruts and damage to the carriageway.”

The council said its proposals to restrict parking had followed the normal consultation and publication process.

Councillor Broadbent said: “We are not seeking to deprive people of places to park in order to access Wendover Woods, but we have a duty to keep our highways safe and passable for all road users.”

Forestry England, which manages the 325-hectare woodland on the edge of the Chilterns, said it had received many emails about the lay-by on Hale Lane being “filled in and soil mounded at the sides of the road along with bollards being put in place”.

The government agency said that there was never parking in place at Hale Lane and that frequent visitors can purchase an annual membership to access Wendover Woods every day except Christmas Day for £65.

A local resident claimed that hundreds of dog walkers, bird watchers and families had parked on Hale Lane for decades.

They said some drivers would not be able to afford to pay to park and that hundreds of local people would be “put out by this unannounced and unnecessary act”.

A 2022 poll named Wendover Woods as one of the most popular family hikings spots in the UK.