From today (7 August), Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team will be reintroducing charging for parking on Ainsdale Beach.

The all-day charge for parking on Ainsdale beach is £8 and payments will be by cash only.

Green Sefton Manager Mark Shaw said:  “Owing to a combination of the huge additional costs of supporting local people and organisations through coronavirus and a loss of most sources of income generation streams, Sefton Council is facing a significant funding shortfall.

“Re-introducing payments for parking on the beach is one of the ways we can start to reduce those effects and generate income for local service include the care of our 22 miles of beautiful coastline.

“For the past six weeks, since we re-opened Ainsdale Beach for parking at no charge, we have been trying to introduce a card payment system but connection problems due to the removal of a nearby mobile phone mast have made this impossible.

“We have, therefore, decided to go ahead with a cash only system instead.  Visitors are asked to have the right money available to hand over but we will have change that will be sanitised before use. However, as with any cash transaction, we would recommend people clean their hands afterwards.”

For regular visitors, Sefton Council offers a money-saving £20 annual season ticket for parking on Ainsdale Beach.

Find out how to apply for a season ticket.

Sefton Council has joined fellow Sefton Coastal Landscape Partnership members in a campaign to remind people to continue to be sensible and when visiting its coastline.

The campaign includes advice on the need to maintain social distancing and asks visitors to remain respectful and protect Sefton’s public spaces.

The council has been asking people not to light barbecues or fires or to take glass bottles and other items onto the beach as they can cause fires and dangerous litter if left behind.

People are also being reminded that a Public Spaces Protection Order is in place preventing the outdoor consumption of alcohol in areas of Formby & Ainsdale Beaches, Southport Promenade and town centre, Crosby & Waterloo including by the Marine Lake as well as Bootle and Formby town centres. The order can be enforced by police officers and authorised council officers and fines for breaching it start at £50.

Sefton Coastal Landscape Partnership members include Sefton Council, Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue, British Transport Police, HM Coastguard, National Trust Formby, Natural England and the RNLI.