A new survey is giving the public – especially women – the chance to shape the future of Leeds and Bradford’s parks, improving safety and accessibility for all.
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00:00A major project aiming to make local parks safer and more welcoming for everyone has
00:06launched across West Yorkshire. Researchers from the University of Leeds have started
00:11the Greed Aware Survey which will involve more than 8,000 people across Leeds and Bradford.
00:18It will look how residents currently use and why they avoid local parks and also green
00:24spaces. The aim is to identify both physical obstacles and social barriers that might prevent
00:31some people from enjoying local parks. The researchers say they particularly want to hear
00:37from groups who are often overlooked in public surveys. This includes women and girls, older
00:44people, disabled residents and people from minority ethnic communities. The Greed Aware
00:50Project comes after a previous study by the University of Leeds. It revealed that many women
00:56and girls felt unsafe visiting parks, particularly during darker hours and when alone. The team
01:04behind the research say the results of this new survey will directly influence local council
01:10policy with Leeds City Council and also Bradford Council committed to using the findings to improve
01:16park safety and also accessibility for everyone. Dr Vicky Holden who's leading the Greed Aware
01:24Project has urged residents across West Yorkshire to take part. She stresses that every viewpoint
01:31matters whether or not people currently use their local green spaces and the organisers hope the
01:37findings will help make West Yorkshire's parks a lot safer, fairer and more accessible for the public.