Park visitors asked for views on dog lead rules

Visitors to a Crawley park are being asked for their views on rules about dogs being on leads.

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has been in place in areas of Tilgate Park since 2022, and Crawley Borough Council intends to renew it for a further three years.

The PSPO means all dogs must be kept on a lead around Tilgate lake, the park's main lawn, peace garden and the golf course (excluding the perimeter path) at all times.

Cabinet member for public protection, Yasmin Khan, said the council wanted to ensure the park was a safe place for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Since the introduction of the PSPO, she added there had been an "immediate reduction in dog-on-dog attacks in the park and there have been no reported incidents of wildlife deaths, including cygnets, swans or deer".

The council wants to renew the order before it expires later in the year, and Councillor Khan encouraged local residents and visitors to share their thoughts in the consultation.

Assistance dogs are exempt from the order and dogs can remain off the lead throughout the rest of the park.

No dogs are permitted in the children's playground.

Those not obeying the order can be asked to stop, and council officers can issue fixed penalty notices with the option to prosecute in court if tickets are not paid.

The consultation runs until 19 June.

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