Parks suffering as budget cuts ‘lead to poor maintenance and fewer visitors’

URBAN PARKS have been “squeezed by budget cuts” and need a boost, a new report has claimed.

Research carried out by the Ramblers and Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) found that “rapidly dwindling” funds had resulted in poor maintenance and a drop in people visiting.

A survey carried out for their report, which interviewed 1,000 people, found that a third of 16 to 24-year-olds resisted visiting parks over “safety concerns”.

Its authors argue that cuts to the park ranger service and a reduction in funding for the maintenance of green spaces had led to the figure.

Two thirds of those interviewed (67 per cent) said they would visit parks more often if they were better maintained.

Kate Conto, senior policy officer at the Ramblers, said: “We know that great parks and green spaces in urban areas make a big difference both to individuals and communities.

“But with the reality of budget cuts, it’s vital to ensure funding is used as effectively as possible.

“Considering the needs of a wide range of users will help ensure the creation of safe, accessible green spaces that the whole community can enjoy.”

The report includes examples of areas that have used collaborative funding with positive results, including Port Sunlight River Park in Birkenhead, a former landfill site and no-go area that now has regular community events and a “friends group”.

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the TPCA, added: “Collaborative work on transforming parks with many different sources of funding can take a lot of time and effort to co-ordinate, but the results can be really worth it, as we can see with some fantastic green space projects that have totally transformed urban communities.”

The report makes recommendations including better community collaboration, as well as better publicity and maintenance.