A second edition of Safer Parks: Improving Access for Women and Girls will be launched on September 30 during day two of the Police Problem Solving Conference and annual Tilley Awards. Endorsed for the first time by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI), the document now carries forewords from Police CPI and Keep Britain Tidy. Design, management and maintenance of green spaces can improve safety and access for women and girls, the document argues.
The guidance, introduced in 2023, is aimed at park managers, local authorities, and police forces’ Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs). It was developed by the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Keep Britain Tidy, and the campaign group Make Space for Girls. The guidance is part of Police CPI’s Secured by Design scheme, which supports DOCOs across the UK to shape safer homes, streets, shops and public spaces. This builds on its place in the Green Flag Award scheme, a benchmark standard for management of parks and green spaces in the UK.
A summary and short video are available in English, Urdu, Romani, and Arabic. Dr Anna Barker of the University of Leeds and Helen Forman, of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are due to speak at the conference on Tuesday afternoon, September 30.
What they say
Guy Ferguson, CEO at Police CPI, said: “Since 1989, our work has been about one thing: preventing crime through better design. We believe that good design is the frontline of crime prevention. Our partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, University of Leeds, Keep Britain Tidy and Make Space for Girls to publish the Safer Parks guidance continues this legacy, extending our mission to create secure and equitable spaces where everyone feels they belong. By using this guidance, we are taking action to ensure our parks are safe, welcoming places all.”
And Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “Women and girls should be able to enjoy their local parks as safe spaces, not somewhere they fear for their lives. By working closely together with academics from Leeds and other leading specialists, we know precisely what must change. This updated guidance gives us a fantastic insight, but I would continue to encourage leaders across the country to put this into practice, ensuring the words match the experience.”
Meanwhile Keep Britain Tidy and the Green Flag Award are working with the University of Leeds and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to support a campaign: Safer Parks: Stand Up Against Street Harassment.
