PLANS to clamp down on “unauthorised gatherings” in Glasgow’s parks have been scrapped.
Glasgow City Council has abandoned new, controversial parks management rules, which would have also forced dog walkers to keep their pets on a tight leash and enforced a 5mph speed restriction on cyclists.
A section relating to unauthorised gatherings has been removed.
Instead, behaviour which is unacceptable will be covered by the section which states: “Do not do anything which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, offence, alarm or distress to any other park user”.
In April 2011 an unofficial street party in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park descended into violence as police struggled to cope with a crowd of thousands of revellers.
More than 4,000 were at the “unofficial” rave-style event, which was organised on Facebook by two teenagers.
The new park management rules would also have banned dog owners from letting their pets roam on leads longer than six feet.
The rules would also have placed a ban on walking more than three animals at a time, however both, have now been abandoned.
The council said pet owners would only be required to keep dogs “under reasonable control” at all times.
A planned 5mph speed restriction on cyclists has also been lifted.
The council said there would be no speed restrictions for cyclists and no restriction on where in a park they can cycle.
Instead, they will be required to maintain reasonable control of the cycle and be considerate of other park users.
The council has also planned to introduce include a clause carried over from the existing rules which said that the council can impose charges for activities.
However, this raised concerns amongst the public about charges being implemented for normal park activities.
Councillor Alistair Watson, Executive Member for Sustainability and Transport, said: “We know how much the people of Glasgow and visitors to this city love our parks.
“The council has listened to the people of Glasgow and has taken on board their views and suggestions on what the Park Management Rules should include.
“We have dropped some proposals from the original amendments as a result of the feedback from the public .
“The reason we have Park Management Rules is to allow us to better manage, maintain and deliver the sort of environment people expect in a park or open space.
“However it is equally important that the public behave responsibly as well.”
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