Brian Jones
Support your local nature reserve
There is no entry fee at any of our reserves but we do operate car parking charges at Brockholes and Mere Sands Wood. The income generated by car parking charges is really important to Lancashire Wildlife Trust as every penny helps us to continue our vital conservation work as well as maintain our play areas, toilets and other facilities.
Thank you for supporting your local wildlife.
What is the cost?
£5 all day parking for Brockholes
£4 all day parking for Mere Sands Wood
Our payment machines accept cash (coins only), card, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
These charges apply to all cars and minibuses (up to 17 seats) and blue badge holders, in all areas at all times. The car parks use ANPR technology (vehicle registration number recognition cameras) to record when you enter and leave the reserve.
There is a strict 10 minute grace period, for taxis and drop offs. After this 10 minutes, you will be charged the full amount. This is enforced by 3D Parking, not Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
We now have an app which you can download to your smartphone to pay for your parking online. Download 'RingGo', enter your details and find Brockholes using the code 25806. The RingGo code for Mere Sands Wood is 25807. Please note that neither Brockholes nor Mere Sands Wood are an auto pay site.
Or save money with a parking pass
Alternatively, regular visitors can purchase a 3 month, 6 month or 12 month Visitor Pass which provides fantastic value and allows you to visit as many times as you like for one set price.
Click here to buy a Parking Pass
As well as saving yourself money, you’ll be supporting wildlife and our reserve too, so everyone’s a winner!
Within the pass period (3, 6 or 12 months) you can visit both Brockholes and Mere Sands Wood as many times as you wish. You can have two vehicles on the same parking pass, but both vehicles must belong to the same household.
All proceeds from parking passes (and car parking) are reinvested into the development and maintenance of the nature reserves, so you will be supporting wildlife whilst saving yourself money.
How does it work?
Prices are per car, not per person. Our pay machines accept coins or card.
- The cameras will record your vehicle registration number on arrival. You will not be issued with a ticket. You do not need to do anything else until you are ready to leave.
- Before you leave, enter your full registration number at a pay machine in the car park
- Pay the amount shown on the screen, £5
- Thank you! That’s it; you have just helped support your local wildlife!
Do motorcycle riders have to pay for parking?
Yes they do. As our parking system works from a registration plate recognition, any vehicle with a registration plate must pay for parking.
What happens if I receive a Parking Charge Notice (PCN)?
The car park is managed by 3D Parking, a member of the IPC, an accredited trade association.
Appeals for a PCN with 3D Parking need to be done online. The web address is www.ticketappeals.co.uk.
Please do not contact Brockholes as it all need to be sorted through 3D Parking themselves.
Why do Wildlife Trust members not receive free parking?
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has spent a lot of time taking advice from VAT and tax consultants to try and find a way to offer our members something on the parking charges. However, any benefits to our members, that non-members do not receive, will make our membership subject to VAT.
This means we would lose 20% of our income from membership donations and would risk bankrupting the charity. We are not giving up and we will continue to look for solutions. In the meantime we hope our members will continue to support us to protect local wildlife.
Height barrier
Please note that there is a 2m height barrier in place at Brockholes, should your vehicle exceed this limit, please feel free to park on our coach drop off car park.