EU give swings the push ("Balmy" regulations on playgrounds)

UK Sun ^ | June 7, 2003 | JOHN COLES

[veronica]

A VILLAGE had to get rid of its playground swings because Euro rules say they are too TALL.

The three swings were erected more than 25 years ago. Kids playing on them have suffered nothing worse than a grazed knee ever since.

But now Brussels bureaucrats have introduced a new maximum height order for swings throughout the UK.

The EU edict, European Standard BS EN 11 76, states the height of children’s swings must be no more than three metres (9ft 10ins).

The set at the park in Great Somerford, Wilts, are 60cm (2ft) over the limit.

The directive also includes a mind-boggling set of other rules including the distance from the seats to the frame and to the ground.

The Great Somerford swings were condemned during a routine inspection by playground equipment firm Wicksteed Leisure last month.

Now the seats have been removed to stop kids using the swings and a notice has gone up explaining why.

It has left Sarah Beeby, 11, Hannah Lonford-Brown, ten, and Luke Whitmarsh and Jacob Botterill, both five, bitterly disappointed.

Little Luke said: “It’s very sad. The park’s not exciting any more.”

The EU standard is NOT law, but failing to comply could leave the parish council open to legal action if a child were injured.

The council is trying to raise £4,000 to get new swings. It can’t simply raise the ground around the exisiting frames because steps aren’t allowed in playgrounds either.

Chairman Toby Sturgis said: “These are barmy regulations.”

[Husker24]

England isnt part of EU, so why is this happening?

[Bonaparte]

The EU just keeps regulating itself into a deep black hole. I love it. Come on, Brussels, let's have more regs! More!

[glock rocks]

The council is trying to raise £4,000 to get new swings.

brilliant.

pipe cutter and a couple bags of sacrete.

heck, I'll do it for £2,000.

well, if I can bring my Glock.

[Bonaparte]

Britain joined the EU 30 years ago. They just haven't adopted the euro and have balked on a few other things. It would be a shame to see them go under with the rest of the fools on the continent, but it looks like they probably will.

[Bonaparte]

The whole thing is a joke. Safety? Some big kid pushes some little kid too high on that shorter chain and he could go over the top. Whoops, broken neck.

[sauropod]

Methinks you and Tony need to have a little chat...

[SAJ]

Au contraire, sir, England is indeed a member of EU. England is not (yet, and ideally never) a member of EMU, European Monetary Union, a.k.a. the Euro.

[MonroeDNA]

Next thing you know, the English populace won't be able to use force to defend themselves.

Oh wait...

[BenLurkin]

How crushing to the human spirit it must be to have even the most trivial and innocuos aspects of daily life subjected to harsh centralized control.

[donmeaker]

How many Brits grew up with nannies? Not enough for a substantial "Reaction Formation" to throw the rascals out.