Major gardening charity the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has demanded compensation from the government because it says ongoing roadworks around one of its most visited sites have caused it to lose out on £6m.
It estimates that the National Highways A3/M25 roadworks, which started in summer 2022 and are now set to end in 2026, have resulted in 350,000 fewer people visiting RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey annually.
The £6m of estimated financial losses that decreased visitor numbers have caused so far include a nearly £1m impact on RHS membership income.
Losses are set to rise to £11m by 2026, the charity estimates, when the roadworks are set to end.
Wisley typically attracts over one million visitors each year, bringing in millions for the country’s leading gardening charity, whose most recently recorded annual income stands at £120m.
According to surveys conducted by the RHS, nearly 80% of members who visited Wisley less frequently in the last 12 months, attributed this to the M25/A3 roadworks near the garden.
Additionally, 63% of non-visiting members in this period attributed not visiting Wisley to the same reason.
The gardening charity today launched a petition to demand compensation.
Director general: Compensation is ‘unlikely’
Due to the financial losses, the RHS said it is delaying the development of planned works at its sites around the UK, including arboretums and the planting of 4,000 trees, and is cutting back on its outreach work and considering training 10% fewer student horticulturists over the next two years.
RHS director general, Clare Matterson said: “The highways compensation laws are complicated and unlikely to enable the RHS to recoup these devastating losses.
“If there was ever a special case for compensation surely RHS Wisley stands out as a national treasure that needs to be upheld and prized and our charitable work as vital to be protected.
“Whilst we’re grateful for the new road and the positive difference it is now beginning to make following months of disruption, going back to our original objections it continues to be a flawed solution that increases car miles around J10 by some one million kilometres per annum.”
Celebrity gardener and the charity’s vice president Alan Titchmarsh urged the public to sign the petition.
He said: “These losses are catastrophic not only for the RHS, but for the whole of the UK in terms of the incredible work the RHS does to help people and planet and educating and supporting millions of gardeners to garden more sustainably for a better future.
“Unlike others that failed before it, this government must recognise the importance of horticulture, of gardeners and of the immense positive benefits gardens, gardening and growing plants can have on our health, the environment, wildlife and biodiversity to safeguard the future for generations to come.”
Civil Society has contacted the Department for Transport, which is responsible for the roadworks, for comment.
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