Hampshire County Council (HCC) has criticised proposals to introduce road pricing on routes through the New Forest National Park.

The idea was put forward along with a number of other policies by the New Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) in its draft National Park Plan, which has been designed as a blueprint for the management of the park for the next 20 years. But in a response to the document, HCC expressed concerns over the restrictive nature of such a policy, and said that it could hinder the council's ability to develop services such as waste disposal, schools and the care of older people.

Ken Thornber, leader of HCC, said: "The New Forest National Park Authority has three duties. These are to conserve the forest, promote enjoyment of the national park and to foster the economic and social wellbeing of local communities within its boundaries. "We believe that the park authority has not struck the right balance between those duties in developing its plans and policies for the future. Hampshire County Council is responsible for the highways, and road pricing is not on the administration's agenda."