Call for Greenwich Council to install floodlights at skatepark in Charlton

Skatepark users are calling on town hall chiefs to light their skatepark so they can use it throughout the year.

A petition has gathered more than 300 signatures urging Greenwich council to install floodlights at the skatepark in Charlton.

The £380,000 concrete park was added to Charlton Park last year and is used by scores of bikers, skaters and scooter riders every day in the summer.

Charlton Lane resident Stuart Hopper, who runs a skate school at the park, said: “It’s a bit crazy to have spent all that money on something and then making it virtually unusable for half the year.

“Without floodlights many children will not be able to make it before it gets dark after school, and if you work nine to five you have no chance.”

There are floodlights in place for other parts of Charlton Park, used mostly by football teams.

The Friends of Charlton Park Group, which started the campaign, believes lighting will also make the park more welcoming to residents walking through.

Mr Hopper, 40, said: “Last winter there was a lot of disgruntled riders who wanted to use the skatepark.

This summer the park has been amazing. It’s been used by so many different people and everyone gets on well.

“There’s always a nice group of kids down there. Where are they going to go now in the winter?”

A council spokeswoman said: “Floodlighting for the Charlton skatepark was not within the original scope of the project.

There was no funding available for the additional lighting at the time of development and planning permission for the skatepark was granted without it.

“The skatepark was built with provision for floodlighting to be installed in the future if funding and planning permission is granted.

“While increasing the use of the skatepark facilities during the shorter daylight months is favoured by some residents, the views of the wider community would need to be considered in any further decision around the addition of floodlighting.”