People urged to stay local and not travel to Shropshire beauty spots

Shropshire Council is urging people to follow Government guidelines and not travel to beauty spots across the county for exercise. Instead people should stay local.

The plea comes after a weekend that saw sites countywide become inundated with visitors, causing worry among local residents concerned about their safety and people breaking the rules.

Overcrowding of sites resulted in crammed car parks and people parking irresponsibly on roads, paths and in some cases blocking the driveways of local residents.

Parking at Oswestry Racecourse

Government guidance permits country parks to remain open, including car parks, for people to exercise locally once a day. However, car parks being open does not mean you should be getting in your car and driving to sites.

The top priority of the council is to protect the health and safety of residents, staff and communities across Shropshire.

Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure, waste and communications, said:

“The number of people who appear to be travelling to visit Shropshire beauty spots is alarming. Not only do people appear to be breaking the rules by not staying local to exercise, they are showing a lack of respect and consideration for local communities and the impact their behaviour can have.

“As was proven after the first lockdown, the Shropshire countryside will still be here when lockdown rules begin to be lifted.

“Our top priority is, and always has been, to protect the health and safety of residents, staff and communities, so until restrictions begin to be lifted, along with communities across the county, I implore you to stay away for now and visit Shropshire later.”

Government guidelines

Please follow Government guidance. You should minimise time spent outside your home, but you can leave your home to exercise. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area. Walk or cycle from your home where possible.

You can exercise in a public outdoor place:

• by yourself
• with the people you live with
• with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
• in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
• or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household.

The number of people visiting the county’s outdoor spaces has greatly increased since March 2020. To help protect Shropshire’s countryside, we urge you to behave respectfully. The best way you can do this is by following local coronavirus rules and the Countryside Code.