Campaigners have calls for councils to receive ring-fenced funding to ensure every child has access to a public playground after finding access to play is 'unfair and unequal' across the UK.
A freedom of information request by the Association of Play Industries (API) found some regions have almost five times the amount of free-to-access play provision than others.
The research found the West Midlands has the worst play provision in the UK with 929 children per playground, while in London there are 866 children per playground.
In Scotland, there are just 196 children per playground, while children in Wales have access to over twice the number of playgrounds than children in London.
Mark Hardy, chair of the API, said: 'We are lobbying the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to provide local authorities with access to a national funding stream for public playgrounds so that every child has a safe, local, high-quality place to play every day.
'The Government’s Levelling Up agenda must include children’s access to outdoor play; it is fundamental for childhood development and millions of children are being disadvantaged by this postcode lottery.
'Nationally, play provision is extremely patchy, with some areas well-served and others woefully lacking. Cash-strapped local authorities face increasingly difficult choices in how they allocate their budgets, and funding for outdoor play areas is often sacrificed in favour of other demands, particularly over the last two years.'
