Council apology after woman is locked in park by ranger
by Aline Nassif
aline.nassif@essnmedia.co.uk
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LOCKED IN: Anneka Bair had to climb over a gate to get out of Addiscombe Railway Park
A young woman was locked in a park by a ranger who then told her he would have been breaching health and safety rules by going into it after dark.
Anneka Bair saw the ranger drive up to the entrance of Addiscombe Railway Park while making her way home earlier this month.
Despite her loud attempts to catch his attention, he locked the gate off Dalmally Road and drove off – only to be stopped by Anneka's boyfriend Nick Lovell who was waiting outside the park for her and spotted what had happened.
The 23-year-old barmaid, who uses the park daily as a short-cut to her home in Addiscombe Court Road, has called on Croydon Council to post clear signs about park opening times.
Describing being locked in at 6pm on February 6, she said: "I heard the park ranger closing the gate and I ran towards him, screaming at the top of my lungs for him to hold on a second.
"I was only 100 feet away from him, running at full speed but he still proceeded to get into his van.
"Nick managed to stop him and I had to jump the gate, which comes up to my neck as I am only 5ft 4ins tall, to get out.
"When I confronted the ranger about locking me in he told me it is a breach of health and safety rules for rangers to go into the park after dark (to make sure it is empty) because they could be attacked."
Anneka, who works at The Brief, in George Street, Croydon, believes parks should be locked by dusk if rangers are not going to check them after dark.
She added: "If I had been a pregnant woman, a pensioner or someone with a pram, I would have been in serious trouble."
Owen Giddings, green spaces coordinator for Croydon Council, wrote to Anneka to apologise after the incident.
In an e-mail, he wrote: "I have asked our technical department to ensure that both gates have the correct opening and closing times clearly visible.
"I will also be reviewing the current system of locking parks after dark to avoid any risk to staff and the public."
A council spokeswoman, meanwhile, insisted that it wasn't a breach of health and safety for rangers to enter parks after dark.
She said: "It isn't the council policy and unfortunately on this occasion the ranger gave misleading information.
"The council regrets this, and since being brought to our notice, the park ranger has been spoken to."
6 Comments
by CroAlone, Cronx
Saturday, February 27 2010, 4:48AM
“You not silly are you Andrew, very inquisitive lol..
Fair enough, there very good questions. But its not as deep as you think..
Like before, i said..The closing times have been all over the place (unlike other parks). There have been many times the gates have closed on time, or they havent been closed for 3 days or maybe 5 days, or they get closed 2 hours later than they should, and thats the truth from the locals in the area. Ms Bair had written to the Council and the Advertiser, so this would'nt happen to the elderly (yes it sounds silly, but i have, with my own eyes seen elderly people walk through that park after dark), Mothers with prams, i've even seen a mother and her baby locked in the park. I know cuz i helped her out. Nick knows the closing times for most of the parks in Croydon, they just seem to only apply to certain parks. With the Nick wating outside the park..The papers never write word for word with what they recieve..He wasnt outside the gates, if he was, he would of seen the ranger at the gates, and this fuss wouldnt happend, i dont have to ask him this, to work that out..
Nick wasnt a full-time park ranger, it was through an agency..They called him when they needed him, mostly school times..I used to visit him. End of the day, Ive used this website for quite a while, and i'm not here to argue or be rude, but only to be honest and to support a mate..And i think you guys would do the same, if you had somthing honest to say aswell.”
by Andrew, South Norwood
Friday, February 26 2010, 8:30AM
“Nick Lovell used to be a park ranger! You would expect him to know the closing times better then anyone wouldn¿t you? This all seems rather strange to me now, are you sure this man hasn't got some sort of vendetta against our park rangers. I say this because it quite clearly stats in the article ¿Nick Lovell who was waiting outside the park for her¿ if he was such a caring ranger why didn¿t he meet he¿s girl friend inside the park? I think there is a bit more to this then meets the eye, It would be interesting to know why he is no longer in the job.
hummm very strange!!”
by CroAlone, Cronx
Thursday, February 25 2010, 10:59PM
“I know Ms Bair and Nick Lovell..
Nick Lovell used to be a park ranger for Croydon Council. I remember him telling me once. They used to make him shut the gates at Waddon Ponds. Then he had to walk down to Wandle Park, and lock the gates there too. I met him a couple of times when it was pitch black. He always made sure people were out and safe..In both parks at that. He didnt care about his own safety, cuz common sense told him, that was part of his job. And he never got paid for doing the extra work (which he didnt care about, but i would, i dont work for free)..
Andrew of South Norwood, do you really know the times for Addiscombe Railway park, because they've only been up put up recently. And if you are a regular user of the park (which i doubt you are), then you would of noticed, the park is left open on random nights and is closed at odd times. All the residents of Dalmally road and Morland Road would most likely agree with me. Dalmally road has been a victim to burglarys since that park has opened..The park has been nothing but trouble since it has been there..”
by Andrew, South Norwood
Thursday, February 25 2010, 1:23PM
“I have witnessed first hand the type of abuse these Park Rangers deal with on a daily basis. I know from walking my dog in this park that it can be dangerous at night. If there are no health and safety procedures in place stopping the rangers from walking through there alone then there should be! I¿m sure Miss Bair's boyfriend would agree.
As a frequent user of the park I know the closing times and as Miss Blair claims she is a frequent user why doesn¿t she??”
by Tom, Local
Wednesday, February 24 2010, 11:46AM
“Storm in a teacup. He did not hear her call out. End of story.”
by Peter, Wallington
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 1:23PM
“I agree with the Park Ranger, it is clearly too dangerous to enter the park after dark.
Even Miss Bair's boyfriend thought that it was unsafe to enter, prefering to wait for her outside the gates.”