Until the 19th of July, the capacity of the swimming pool was approximately 30 people. As soon as the restrictions were lifted, this was increased to approximately 50 people and the wider slow lane was split into two and the remaining lanes made narrower to create more lanes.

It is no longer safe swimming in the slow lane because of the following:
- being kicked by anyone coming back down the same lane.
- being kicked by people in the adjacent slow lane.
- kicking the wall.

If a user of the gym was getting injured by others while using the gym, or injuring themselves because there was no room to work out, that would be a health and safety issue – why is this different for swimmers?

There is simply not enough room to swim breaststroke –  some people do not have the physical strength or ability to do front crawl for the entire session. This means that the lane swimming sessions cater solely to the athletic, who are able to do front crawl in the medium and fast lanes.

This has discouraged a great many people in Andover from trying to get fit, and as a community leisure centre, this flies in the face of Place’s principles and mission statement.

Posters in the windows of the Leisure Centre advertise “Rule The Pool” and the App advertises the "SwimTag”, so why have these challenges for people, with the aim of fitness, if only the already fit and able can partake as a result of it being both difficult and dangerous for slow or inexperienced swimmers? 

We propose: 
·        Bring back the double width slow lane for people doing breaststroke. 
·        Creating another swim session during the evening. There is currently only ONE (now very over crowded) session available. Spread the same amount of people over two sessions.  
 
People shouldn’t be put off getting fit, nor should they be getting injured due to health and safety that is currently being disregarded.