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Access to play, sport and nature shouldn’t be taken for granted. Join comedian Tony Hawks as he explores the barriers shaping how we play in the UK, and why it matters to us all.

A padlocked gate, a stretch of barbed wire, a sign politely informing you that ‘trespassers will be prosecuted’. All the familiar clues that say you're not meant to be here. And they're turning up more and more in places that used to be open to everyone.

What happens when access to play starts shrinking everywhere - from wild places, green space, to our rivers, lakes, and to our cities? How easy is it really to move, explore, mess about, and just play in Britain today?

In this third episode, Tony heads to Dartmoor National Park, where right-to-roam campaigner Lewis Winks explains how most land is privately owned, even inside national parks, and how legal boundaries can block access to places many people assume are public. The debate extends to waterways, where confusing ownership and restrictive signage can discourage wild swimming.

River campaigner Becca Drazin describes how she believes efforts to improve water quality on Bristol’s River Avon have been limited by bylaws restricting swimming access, creating a cycle in which polluted rivers are harder to reclaim for public use. In cities and towns, Dr Michael Martin of the University of Sheffield argues that car-focused planning has reduced both the safety and accessibility of urban play spaces.

Altogether, Tony finds that barriers to play are shaped by ownership, policy, pollution and urban design.

Presenter: Tony Hawks

Producer: Guy Natanel

Assistant Producer: Lauren Lewis

Executive Producers: Shannon Delwiche and Chris Jones

Composer: Pat Moran

Sound Mixer: David Crackles

A Sound and Bones production for Â鶹Éç Radio 4

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