07 Apr Harlow Town Park car parks closed until further notice
Harlow Council has closed the town park car parks until further notice to help reduce unnecessary travel to the park.
While the government’s public health guidance allows people to leave their homes once a day to exercise, it does state that this should be done close to home and that people should not travel to do so.
The council is also asking dog walkers to keep their dogs on leads to ensure they can safely stay at least two metres away from others. This is in keeping with government guidance and advice from charities such as the Dogs Trust.
The government’s guidance on access to green spaces is:
· Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily
· You should only go outside alone or with members of your own household
· Keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times
· Gatherings of more than two in parks or other public spaces have been banned and the police will enforce this
· If you have a garden, make use of the space for exercise and fresh air
· Take hygiene precautions when you are outside, and wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors
· If walking your dog in areas used by other people, you should walk your dog on a lead to ensure you can safely keep 2 metres away from others
Brian Keane, Chief Executive of Harlow Council, said:
“We hope that residents will understand our decision to close the town park car parks at this time. Council officers continue to carry out regularly patrols of the town. We are seeing the majority of residents sticking to the guidance. However there have been concerns and cases of people gathering and sunbathing in some parks, including the town park, and this could increase with the warmer weather. We are asking residents to only use parks and open spaces as part of their daily exercise or when walking their dogs, but to only use a park close to their home which is within walking distance. This is all part of everyone doing their bit to protect the NHS and save lives.”
