Driving in lockdown: Are you allowed to drive to a park for exercise?

The government has put measures in place in response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. And with the UK currently in lockdown, many have been wondering if they can drive to a park for some physical activity.

Are you allowed to drive to a park for exercise?

Under the current government guidelines, people should only leave their homes if necessary.

This involves shopping for basic essentials, travelling for work, medical needs and for one form of exercise per day.

However, while parks remain open for exercise, the government is advising people to refrain from driving to them if possible.

A statement on their website reads: “We advise you to stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily.

“You can still go to the park for outdoor exercise once a day but only by yourself or within your household, not in groups.

“We ask you to keep 2 metres apart from others outside your household at all times when outdoors.”

Last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the government could impose a ban on exercise if the public continues to flout social-distancing rules.

“If you don’t want us to have to take the step to ban exercise of all forms outside of your own home then you’ve got to follow the rules,” Hancock told the BBC.

“Let’s not have a minority spoiling it for everybody.”

According to The Guardian, a group of chief constables in the UK police have proposed banning people driving long distances in their cars for exercise.

One police chief told the paper: “We need to say you can’t drive.

“The burden needs to be on the individual not the state to prove reasonableness.

“If the test changes, a lot less people would think: ‘Rover does not need to be driven to a national park today’.”

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated on Thursday the current measures will continue beyond next week.

They said: “We need to keep bearing down on the rate of transmission, which will mean continuing with social distancing measures and to ensure we are protecting the NHS and saving lives.”

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