More people in Hertfordshire were heading to parks before the Government eased its lockdown, figures from Google suggest.

The tech giant is using location data from phones and other personal devices to track trends in people's movement in the home, retail and recreation establishments, grocery stores and pharmacies, public transport hubs, workplaces, and parks and green spaces during the coronavirus pandemic.

The latest report, which goes up to May 13, shows an increase in activity within Hertfordshire's parks between April 29 and May 6, but sharply decreased before the Government eased lockdown restrictions on May 10.

Since then, more people have been returning to the county's parks, with time spent in them by May 13 nine per cent higher than during a five-week baseline period at the start of the year.

Hillingdon Times: The Google mobility stats for Hertfordshire. Photo: GoogleThe Google mobility stats for Hertfordshire. Photo: Google

But this is not as high as before the lockdown was eased, with time spent in parks 18 per cent higher than baseline by May 9.

In other locations in Hertfordshire:

Visits to public transport hubs were 69 per cent down on usual levels by May 13

Shopping centres and food outlets saw 67 per cent less traffic than normal by May 13

Workplaces were 65 per cent quieter than usual by May 13

Food shops and pharmacies saw 26 per cent less traffic by May 13

People spent 28 per cent more time at home than usual by May 13