RENFREWSHIRE’S BEAUTY SPOTS CLOSED
Council is forced to put up barriers at beauty spots
Car parks at Renfrewshire beauty spots have been closed after scores of people flouted Covid- 19 lockdown rules at the weekend.
Renfrewshire Council chiefs have now put barriers up at four Paisley car parks which include Robertson, Glen Lodge, Barshaw Park K-gate and Barshaw Golf Club.
Bosses have also shut Thomas Shanks car park in Johnstone, two sites in Erskine – the Riverfront and Old Ferry at Boden Boo Park – plus car parks at Lochwinnoch Public Park, Castle Semple Loch at Lochlip Road and Clyde Muirshiel Country Park.
Cops were hit with several complaints about the situation at the weekend and have increased their patrols at those sites. Playgrounds have also now been closed.
In a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus, people in Scotland have been told not to leave their homes unless they are shopping for key supplies, attending essential work or doing daily exercise.
Cops now have powers to enforce the lockdown restrictions on staying at home and closing non- essential businesses.
Inspector Tracy Harkins, of Paisley’s community policing team, insisted people should not be travelling anywhere outside their local area, even for exercise.
She said: “Over the past few days we have received a number of reports from concerned residents regarding the volume of people attending the Gleniffer Braes Country Park in Paisley and Muirshiel Country Park in Lochwinnoch.
“While I appreciate people need to get out of the house to exercise, I would like to remind the public that where possible they should not drive to locations outwith their locality to carry out their daily exercise routine.
“If we all abide by the government guidelines and work together as a community we may be able to significantly reduce the timescales placed on physical isolation.”
Sixty people have now died from contracting Covid- 19 in Scotland while almost 2,000 have tested positive for the virus.
Councillor Eddie Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, backed Inspector Harkins’ calls for people to get serious about what they are being asked to do.
The Labour man said: “A few people were walking up the Braes with their dogs at the weekend and they were complaining about the amount of cars that were congregating at Robertson car park.
“There were also loads of cars at car parks off Glenfield Road.
“People really have to stop doing this. I had to get the police involved.
“I just don’t think people are grasping the seriousness of this. Some seem to just think it doesn’t apply to them.
“I just want to appeal to people to stop taking their cars to places and please just stay local.”