Please act responsibly this Easter is the message to residents and visitors to Richmond ahead of the bank holiday weekend.
The easing of restrictions from Monday (29 March) is expected to result in a rise in visitors, including to Richmond Riverside and our parks and open spaces.
As well as adhering to social distancing measures and the rule of six or two households, people are also being encouraged to plan their visits by:
- Checking online tools before travel to assess how busy an area might be
- Having a plan B and C if they get somewhere and it’s really busy
- Parking responsibly and taking care not to cause a hazard to other road users
- Bringing a spare bag and taking home rubbish to recycle. Littering can result in a fine
- Picking up dog waste and disposing responsibly
- Remember that Barbecues and open fires are not allowed in Council parks and open spaces
- Respect local residents living in the area
Ishbel Murray, Assistant Director of Environment and Community Services, said the Easter weekend was usually an extremely busy time for popular locations across Richmond and people needed to act responsibly.
“This Easter weekend, please don’t open the door to a fresh wave of COVID-19.
“We have come such a long way in the battle against Coronavirus but now is not the time to relax and we must all do our bit to avoid further waves of the virus.
“We now have more freedom to travel locally so that, combined with finer weather, may put more pressure on beauty spots and popular destinations.
“Over Easter people’s choices for things to do will still be limited (no shops, pubs, eating out, attractions or overnight stays) so I think it’s inevitable to expect more pressures in certain areas.
“We would urge people to think about how they can minimise the risk to others and also how they can avoid putting a strain on the resources available at their chosen location.
“Our COVID marshals will be out across the borough, helping people to understand the rules. And the Police will be engaging with communities, helping to educate and encourage people to stick by the rules.
“It is important that we take things in a slow and measured way and we must all play our part. By doing this we can hopefully look forward to greater freedom in the summer.”
More information about the current rules
– from a Richmond Council press release - 31 March 2021