Harrogate Borough Council has told residents not to drive to beauty spots for exercise in a bid to reduce coronavirus infection rates.
The council said in its latest newsletter that driving to Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs, and Stainburn Woods “is not acceptable.”
All are popular spots for district residents to visit, with many likely to drive there over this coming weekend.
However, those that do are running the risk of a fine according to the borough council.
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North Yorkshire Police is also actively approaching people in the car parks and asking them where they are from.
Graham Hebblethwaite, chair of Washburn Parish Council, told the Stray Ferret:
“It has calmed down quite a bit now. The police are going into the car park, talking to people and finding out how far they have driven.
“I do fear that when the better weather returns that people will be back in their droves.”
The council’s newsletter, under a section called ‘exercising within the rules’, said:
“The lockdown laws do allow you to get out for daily exercise, but you must stay local to where you live. Please start and end your exercise from home.
“In the context of the lockdown, “local” means staying inside the boundaries of your village or town and not travelling somewhere to take a stroll or walk the dog.
“Driving to the other side of the district, into the Nidderdale AONB or to either of the national parks is not acceptable. If you do, you run the risk of a fine.”
We also requested clarification from North Yorkshire Police, which can hand out fines, and were sent a comment from Superintendent Mike Walker:
“If someone has travelled multiple miles to exercise, an officer has the option to encourage adherence or enforce the regulations.
“We do not expect people to travel multiple miles in a car to exercise in North Yorkshire.”
