SKATEBOARDERS banned from the town centre under a special order have said the debut Olympic 2020 sport desperately needs a new dedicated park.

They spoke out after the Adver revealed how the Public Spaces Protection Order aimed at deterring anti-social behaviour in the central shopping streets was being routinely broken.

Cycling, skateboarding, aggressive begging, drinking and dogs being let of leads are all banned and those found breaking the rules can be fined up to £1,000.

Aidan Drever, an instructor at ATB shop and warehouse, wants a purpose-built park to take the focus away from the pedestrianised areas such as Wharf Green.

He said: “While I’m lucky enough to be sponsored by ATB and to teach for them a lot of skateboarders don’t have that opportunity. All they want is somewhere that is flat, smooth and safe at night. There are facilities at the Oasis but they don’t look good and they are not safe. There is glass everywhere, the ramps are broken and the rails are dented. It’s not a good place to be. There is another park in West Swindon but it is a long way to travel, especially if you don’t drive.”

Aidan, from Old Town, believes the sport should be taken more seriously by the council and private developers, given its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Adver reported last summer how the park behind the Oasis had become run-down, with warnings from the ATB shop that it was dangerous to use. Many of the town’s skaters feel the ideal location for a new park would be the planned leisure site at North Star, which is slated for ski slopes and the UK’s largest Imax cinema.

“Skateboarders might be seen as a nuisance but all they want is somewhere to go,” Aidan said.

“Cirencester has an absolutely fantastic facility for skateboarders, BMX and scooter riders and rollerbladers. You only have to compare the size of Cirencester with the size of Swindon to see why we need one here.

"Without it skateboarders are going to go into town and while they shouldn’t be there, it’s wrong to perceive them as hooligans.

“They are normal people who have taken up a sport that is included in the 2020 Olympics and Swindon as an up-and-coming town should be pushing it to the forefront.”

Diana Kirk, co-owner of the shop and warehouse on the Hawksworth Trading Estate, also wants a centrally-located park replacing the existing site.

“The park at the Oasis is rubbish, it’s become run-down and what’s needed is a new facility,” she said. “We have drawn attention to how dangerous it is before and that’s why skaters are in the town centre. The North Star site would be the perfect place to have a new park.”

SevenCapital, the property developer behind the £270million North Star scheme, did not reply to requests for comment.

Traders have complained that the town centre rules are frequently being ignored, which includes skateboarders using Wharf Green.

The council replied that the order has “been a success so far” because people approached after they were caught breaking the rules were apologetic and changed their behaviour.