Being retired and occasional midweek visitors to Rutland Water, we were surprised recently upon arrival on a fine sunny morning to find the car park near Edith Weston nearly empty.
It was only when we went to purchase a one-hour parking ticket that we found that these were discontinued and that the only alternative was a day ticket costing £3.
No wonder the car park was nearly empty and we likewise took our leave.
We gat
her we are not alone in complaining about the withdrawal of the short term parking facilities, which were ideal for an hour's walk or to take refreshments. Certainly we refuse to pay £3 which is fine for a day visit, but is an outrageous increase for a short stay.
Fortunately it has not deterred us from visiting Rutland, which has so much to offer.
It is a pity however that Anglian Water would not appear to place any importance on the short-term visitor.
B Newman
Linwal Avenue,
Houghton-on-the-Hill
Re the car parking charges at Rutland Water. Both my wife and I are in our 60s and used to enjoy a visit to Rutland Water about once a week on average, £1 short stay was handy, just enough time for a short walk or just to enjoy the view.
We have purchased a permit in the past at just over £20, but now I see that's gone up to £30.
There must be lots of people like us that have had this simple pleasure removed because of unrealistic costs.
What does not help is Anglian Water's attitude. It is obviously only interested in the revenue side of things.
MR AND MRS H LEWIN
Dalby Road,
Melton Mowbray
The water in the reservoir and the land around it are Anglian Water's making it a private asset so the owners can do what they like with it.
But Rutland Water was built on a landscape scale and in Britain, the landscape is ours – a public asset, one that we are able to visit and enjoy all over with ease and normally at low cost.
By trebling the parking charges Anglian Water will discourage and restrict some people from this right to the pleasure and well being that Rutland Water provides.
We should all be offended when companies begin to privatise parts of our landscape by restricting our views, our access to open spaces, our recreation and our enjoyment of the natural world to those who can pay.
The 200 per cent price rise in parking or a £30 permit is not a good way of rewarding the regular visitors, who are often the people who care most about Rutland Water and will go out of their way to help maintain and protect it.
I hope that Anglian Water will reconsider and in the very least provide cheaper short stay car parking at Rutland Water.
Phil Newby
Barnsdale
The full article contains 496 words and appears in Stamford Mercury newspaper.
