Life in Salford 32 • March 2021 12
Stay safe at Salford Quays Summer is coming, lockdown will ease and Salford Quays is a great place to visit but please enjoy it safely. Activities for young people are already being planned but parents are being asked to act now and make sure teenagers understand the dangers of unsupervised swimming and jumping from bridges into the water. Don’t let them put their lives at risk. Safety facts they may not appreciate: • The water in the Quays is cold even on the hottest days. • Jumping from any height into cold water sends the body into automatic shock causing you to gasp • When you gasp you run the risk of taking water into your lungs; if you jump from a bridge you plunge deeper in the water and increase the risk • It only takes half a pint of water in the lungs for a fullgrown man to start drowning • Hidden hazards beneath the surface could prevent you from getting back to the surface • If you swim outside an organised session with lifeguards or jump from a bridge you are relying on your family or friends or members of the public to save you if you get into difficulties
These dangers are why a Public Spaces Protection Order makes it against the law to jump from bridges and/or swim in the Quays except at organised swimming sessions with lifeguards. The bridges are monitored by CCTV and regular joint council/police safety patrols. They will advise young people of the dangers but if they choose to ignore that advice and are identified as jumping from any bridge they will be sent a warning letter with a home visit from the police. Further action will be taken if necessary. Last year 34 under 18s received a warning letter and home visit from the police. Four adults received £100 fixed penalty notices for breaching the Public Spaces Protection Order. Many people now call the Quays home and anti-social behaviour and littering is just as upsetting for them as for people in other areas of our city. It costs nothing to be kind and thoughtful so please help everyone stay safe and enjoy their spring and summer at Salford Quays. To see activities for young people in the local area, please visit the council's neighbourhood teams's Facebook pages @ClaremontandWeaste www.facebook.com/claremontandweaste or @Ordsallandlangworthy www.facebook.com/Ordsallandlangworthy
