Enfield has the noisiest parks in London and risks missing out on the public health benefits of green spaces, research has shown.

The London arm of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has published research claiming 57 per cent of the borough’s parks are “severely impacted” by traffic noise – higher than anywhere else in the capital.

According to CPRE London, people are less likely to use parks when they are noisy, meaning their benefits are lost.

It claims noise also contributes towards a range of physical and mental health problems and can drive away wildlife.

But its recommendations – which include permanently rerouting traffic and introducing regular, temporary road closures near parks – are unlikely to prove popular with motorists.

The council has hit back at the researchers, branding the study “essentially meaningless” and claiming its parks are becoming increasingly popular.

Across London, almost one in three (29 per cent) parks are severely impacted by traffic noise, the study shows.

Sutton and Richmond’s parks are the least affected by noise, with only 7 per cent and 9 per cent respectively classed as severely impacted.

The researchers define ‘severely impacted’ as parks where more than half of the area has traffic noise levels of 55 decibels and above – levels at which background noise starts to have an impact on health, according to the World Health Organisation.

Alice Roberts of CPRE London said: “Our parks are meant to be places for relaxation and recreation, yet nearly a third of London’s parks are severely impacted by traffic noise.

“In the worst affected borough, Enfield, well over half the parks are severely impacted. Recent research shows parks bring £34 billion of benefits to the UK.

“But our report shows much greater potential benefits are being lost, because traffic noise puts people off spending time in parks.”

An Enfield Council spokesperson said: “This research is inaccurate and based on a number of questionable, unscientific assumptions which render this survey essentially meaningless.

“There are more than 100 parks and open spaces in Enfield which are highly valued, and which are extremely popular. All the evidence we have shows that our parks are becoming increasingly popular.

“We will continue to work with park users and friends groups to improve our parks and ensure they continue to be attractive places for people to visit.”