The Coronavirus has put increased pressure on our parks and green spaces and on those managing them. Across London facilities in parks have been closed (playgrounds, outdoor gyms, public toilets, cafes etc.) and events and activities cancelled, to help curb the spread of Covid-19. We want to strongly encourage appropriate use of parks, within government guidelines, to assist land managers and to help keep our parks open. Hence we are working with land managers, the GLA and London Councils to provide consistent and current guidance and messaging around the use of parks, especially ahead of the Easter break. If you have not already closed your car parks we strongly advise that you do so to discourage people travelling further than their local parks. We recommend the following guidance for park users:
- Do not visit a park if you have any Symptoms – fever, coughs, shortness of breath or are self-isolating (see NHS guidelines, link below)
- Stay local and use parks and green spaces close to your home
- Only go outside alone or with members of your own household
- Parks should be used for daily exercise or essential travel only. Team sports, social activities (e.g. picnics, play dates etc.) and sunbathing should not be taking place
- Keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times: use all areas of the park, spread out and keep moving; if the park is crowded, do not enter if you cannot safely stay at a distance from others, consider exercising in quieter, less-used streets.
- Gatherings of more than two people in parks or other public spaces have been banned. The Met Police and local authorities and are out in parks urging Londoners to follow this
- Only use park benches if you need to rest briefly
- Make use of your garden if you have one to help reduce visits to parks and green spaces, people without gardens may rely on parks more
- Keep your dog on a lead, at all times, in public spaces to ensure you can safely keep 2 metres away from others
- Take litter and dog mess home with you
- Follow hygiene advice when you are outside, avoid touching surfaces and wash your hands as soon as you are back home
- Do not use areas of the park that have been closed such as play areas – these are closed to stop the possible spread of COVID-19 through touching surfaces and keeping a safe distance from others.
Useful links for further advice:
Advice provided by the Mayor of London
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html