Car parks to reopen at Sandwell beauty spots
Car parks at Sandwell beauty spots will reopen this Friday under new measures.
Parking spaces - at parks around Sandwell - were closed amid the pandemic to enforce social distancing.
But residents have complained that motorists are parking in their streets.
As a result, the car parks - at parks like Sandwell Valley Country Park and Dartmouth Park - will reopen from Friday.
Deputy council leader Maria Crompton said: "We had to speak to the police to reopen the car parks.
"It was the police who asked us to close them because they were having problems with people going there - when they shouldn't do - and people weren't social distancing.
"But we had a lot of complaints about parking on the road.
"Police thought this would slow down people going or they wouldn't just go at all.
"But people are still going there and parking in the street.
"Police would agree that it is probably better to reopen the car parks again.
"They are happy for us to do that."
The measures relate to all Sandwell Council-owned parks, including: Lightwoods Park, Bearwood; Haden Hill Park, Cradley Heath; Brunswick Park, Wednesbury; and Barnford Park, Oldbury.
