Call to Double Price of Single National Park Car Park Season Tickets Expected to be Backed

A call to double the price of individual national park car park season tickets in 2027 is expected to be backed next week.
A report recommended for approval at the September meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park asks members to review the current car park season ticket price points ahead of advance 2027 season ticket sales later this autumn.
The Park operates 14 charging car parks, and, from 2017, has offered two season ticket types in addition to the normal pay-as-you go charging rates of up to 30 mins free, up to one hour £1.50, up to two hours £4, up to four hours £6, and all day £8.
The two season ticket types are single location and all sites, at £50 and £140 respectively since 2023 when they rose from a previous £25 and £70.
On 2025 figures 207 all sites season tickets were purchased, with the single use as follows: Saundersfoot 323, Poppit Sands 213, Little Haven 172, OYP St Davids 129, Freshwater East 119, Amroth 112, Solva 39, Newport Sands 30, Newgale 28, West Angle 22, Penally 22, Broadhaven 14, Manorbier 8, Nolton Haven 8.
It is recommended the ‘all sites’ ticket remains at £140, the single site increasing to £100.
In calling for the single site increase, a report for Park members says: “We have identified an anomaly in our present season ticket offer which should be addressed, namely the circa three times price differential between the ‘single’ (at £50) and ‘all site’ (at £140) tickets’.
“Both ticket types limit use to a single motor vehicle at any single point in time and neither place any restriction on the frequency or intensity of that use. The current price differential therefore reflects the ‘roaming’ benefit’ only and whilst it is reasonable for the additional roaming benefit to reflect an element of premium, the current differential seems disproportionate.”
It adds: “Based on the above and adopting a conservative estimate of usage for the average single site ticket of one parking session per week not exceeding two hours duration at a current cost £4 per session, the present single site season ticket purchase cost of £50 is equivalent to 12.5 weeks of ‘pay & display’ parking cost. The duration of our charging season is 35 weeks.”
The report lists comparable ticket offers, with Pembrokeshire County Council’s ‘The Coastal’ valid at eight coastal sites at £160 for the season, and ‘The Puffin’ for a single long-stay site at £240 transferable between vehicles.
It also lists Saundersfoot Harbour (Harbour Commissioners) annual rate of £308 transferable between vehicles; Heane Castle Estate’s Coppit Hall Beach, Saundersfoot annual rate of £250; and Whitesands Beach (St David City Council) single site (annual) £75, or £15 to qualifying residents.
“These comparables suggest our single site season ticket is currently underpriced at £50 reflecting a cost benefit significantly in excess of reasonable expectations, whilst the current cost of £140 for our all-site ticket reflects a very competitive price point.”
Members are recommended to back the price increase for the single site season ticket. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​