Dog walkers give views on dog lead rules

Residents have given their thoughts on plans to extend a ban preventing dogs from being let off the lead in certain areas of a West Sussex park.

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

The council said since the order, there had been an immediate reduction in dog-on-dog attacks and no reported incidents of wildlife deaths, including cygnets, swans or deer.

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.

"I think it's important because of the nature and the young breeding swans and geese", said resident Jenny Mitchell.

"I once saw a couple of dogs go into the lake chasing a swan right down the lake, the owners had trouble getting them back out. It was quite frightening."

Emma Eaton, who walks her dog in the park, said: "The dogs can still come off their leads in certain areas. But I think by the lake and park where you have wildlife and children running around, if you have a dog you can't control they should be on a lead."

Bill Chase, another dog walker, said: "I think it's a good thing to protect the wildlife. You don't know what sort of dog is coming up to your dog too."

Another person understood the importance of protecting wildlife in the park but said "dogs need a place to roam" too.

The council wants to renew the order before it expires later in the year and has encouraged people to share their thoughts in the consultation, which ends today.

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.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.