Published: Friday, 17 April 2020

The Council, ODS and Thames Valley Police will be working together to ensure that cordoned off play and exercise equipment in the parks will remain out of use to prevent the spread of infection.

This is after a number of people have continued to use it, despite it being off limits.

Please educate your children about this risk and ensure they are supervised when out for daily exercise. It  may be hard for children to resist going on play equipment when there is no one around, but the virus may well be there, left by another child who thought the same thing earlier in the day. Keep your family safe and stay well.

"This equipment has been sealed off for a very good reason. Coronavirus can stay on hard surfaces for several days. It can be passed on by touching surfaces handled by others. Yet despite this we are finding seals have been broken on the gates and the prohibition signs on equipment taken down.

"I can't stress enough how much danger people could be putting  themselves or their family in by continuing to use this equipment. And on top of that they are placing additional strain on parks staff and police resources at a time when they all have better things to do.

"It is not possible to completely cordon off all of the equipment in our parks, but by taping it off and putting up "do not use" notices we hoped that most people would understand. It seems that a foolhardy few have not got the message."

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for a Safer, Healthy Oxford

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