A leisurely stroll around a quiet reservoir might not be most people’s idea of work – but a University of Bradford researcher has asked volunteers to do just that.

Greg Watts, a professor of transportation noise, has devised a method of measuring tranquillity levels in urban parks to help town and city planners create peaceful green space. He has tested it by carrying out a survey at the country park at Ogden Water, between Denholme and Halifax.

Prof Watts said: “We know that tranquil environments are important for well-being.

“When people are surrounded by images of nature and hear natural sounds rather than mechanical noises, they find it easier to recover from stress.

“Our research assesses what particular factors would improve tranquillity in parks, and what factors would degrade it, so that an overall tranquillity rating can be calculated.”

People who volunteered to help with the research were asked to stop at particular spots along the way and measure the tranquillity of the area using a questionnaire.

A University team are using a formula which gives parks a tranquillity rating on a ten-point scale. Factors taken into consideration included the amount of man-made noise, such as traffic or aircraft noise, natural features such as water, trees and plants, and man-made features such as historical or traditional buildings.

The method has already been put to the test in Lister Park, Bradford, Thackley Green, and Peace Garden, within the University campus. The Peace Garden was found to be least tranquil overall with Thackley Green faring only slightly better, while the award-winning Lister Park in Manningham achieved the best score.

  • Read the full story Wednesday’s T&A