“Keep our parks tidy this Easter” – plea from Brighton and Hove leaders

Take your litter home – this is the message from city leaders as thousands of people head to the Brighton and Hove’s parks this easter.

With the sun set to shine on the south coast this weekend, the city’s open spaces are set to be packed with daytrippers and holiday makers making the most of the warm weather.

Keen to prevent a repeat of last year’s scenes when Stanmer Park was shut on Easter Monday due to congestion – and then left with litter strewn across the countryside, Brighton and Hove City Council is urging visitors to be more considerate.

With Brighton and Hove Albion playing a crunch game against Blackpool on Easter Monday, officials have reminded people the car is not the only way to travel to Stanmer Park.

Council chiefs are also hoping to point people to use some of the smaller and less well-known parks over the long weekend.

Councillor Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment committee, said: “It’s been such a wet winter and everyone is looking forward to going outdoors and enjoying some sunshine.

“The extended Easter break is the first holiday period of the season where people will be able to get out and about and we are anticipating some of our parks will be heavily used, especially Stanmer.

“We are reminding visitors to take litter home and consider different travel options at busy times.

“It’s also an opportunity to highlight the diversity of open spaces on offer, some of the ’hidden gems’ in Brighton and Hove that people may not have visited before.”

Cllr West added alternative methods of transport to Stanmer Park include the new Lewes Road cycle lane and regular buses.

For more details visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/cityparks.