PM urged to back visitors to beauty spots

Behavioural scientist says Government should order the reopening of beauty spot car parks and lavatories

Boris Johnson must order councils to open lavatories and car parks to encourage day trippers to get back to the seaside and beauty spots, argues one of the Government’s scientific advisers. Prof Robert Dingwall accused the Government of “terrorising” the public into staying at home despite evidence showing a minimal chance of catching Covid-19 when outdoors. Crowds gathered at beauty spots over the weekend even as local authorities urged people to stay away.

BORIS JOHNSON must order councils to open lavatories and car parks to encourage day trippers to get back to the seaside and beauty spots, argues one of the Government’s scientific advisers.

Professor Robert Dingwall accused the Government of “terrorising” the public into staying at home despite evidence which showed a minimal chance of catching Covid-19 when outdoors.

The first weekend after the Prime Minister eased the lockdown showed crowds had gathered, even as local authorities urged people to stay away.

Ministers have now been urged to be “more proactive” in attracting day trippers amid growing fears that Britain’s economic recovery will be hindered by a reluctance to venture out after two months of being bombarded by a message to remain indoors.

The pressure on local authorities to open up amenities will come later this week when a mini-heatwave is expected to hit the UK, with the hottest day of the year at 27C (81F) anticipated for Wednesday.

Tourist boards had joined with local authorities in urging potential visitors to keep away from beauty spots and seaside resorts.

Weston-super-mare for example has changed its slogan from “Visit Weston” to “Don’t Visit Weston”, while a number of national parks had made pleas for potential visitors to go elsewhere. Local authorities have closed car parks and shut public lavatories to deter visitors in popular resorts such as Whitby and Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

Evidence from the weekend suggested seaside towns such as Brighton remained relatively quiet despite decent weather. In Dorset, the lack of open local authority car parks at many beaches forced motorists to park in ones that were privately owned, creating more crowding. In the Peak District, the national park kept its main car parks shut, causing hikers to park on busy roadside verges instead.

Police reports suggested there were only a handful of flash points, including breaking up a “rave” involving 70 people in a park near Telford in Shropshire. “We are attending a mass gathering/rave,” Telford police tweeted, adding: “We have worked so hard and sacrificed so much and this group decide it doesn’t apply. I’m shocked that people would care so little. #hangyourheadsinshame.”

Professor Dingwall, who sits on one of the main subcommittees of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said the crowds had stayed away largely because of local hostility and a lasting terror of catching the coronavirus.

“The Government needs to be more proactive and order councils to open lavatories and car parks,” said Professor Dingwall, a sociologist at Nottingham Trent University who sits on the Government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.

Prof Dingwall said ministers needed to be “pushing” to ensure the infrastructure is in place to aid the recovery. He is concerned – along with many other behavioural scientists – that Britain has become too fearful of the virus when the risk is “minimal” in outdoor settings, and mortality rates remain low for the under-60s.

He added: “The ‘stay away’ messages coming from a lot of these areas [in seaside resorts and beauty spots] has fed back to the public who are wondering what they can do. I can see a lot of people thinking, ‘is this worth it?’.

“Then there are the general levels of fear and anxiety. People are worried they won’t be safe despite growing evidence that has not been well communicated that there is minimal risk. The Government has been terrorising the population, instilling a state of terror.”

The hospitality industry will be alarmed at the public’s reluctance to venture out and will be desperate for more amenities to open before the summer season. Travelodge, said it would be “catastrophic” if local tourism is not revived in time.