Transport for London is to make around 50 streets across the capital traffic free on Saturday – World Car Free Day.
Inviting people to ‘meet, walk, cycle and enjoy’, TfL is encouraging people to ‘ditch their cars and reclaim streets from traffic, which will open up spaces to the whole community’.
London Play wants 'streets for people and spacehoppers'
Around 50 streets from Hackney to Ealing will be traffic free on Saturday (22 September).
TfL said it is supporting London Play, a charity that aims to give children ‘the freedom to play’ by closing roads to traffic.
Heidi Alexander, deputy mayor for transport, said: 'I'm delighted that Londoners will be able to enjoy more than 40 streets without traffic noise and exhaust fumes on World Car Free Day.
'Our support for London Play will transform neighbourhoods for families and offer a valuable opportunity to inspire long-term change, helping build on our work to reduce reliance on cars and clean up the capital's dangerously polluted air.'
Fiona Sutherland, deputy director at London Play, said: 'Streets make up 80% of London's public space – a valuable community resource which has largely been given up for the sole use of cars, parked or moving.
'Play streets are a simple concept giving local residents the opportunity to temporarily reclaim that space to come together informally with their neighbours, get active, build friendships and stronger communities as a result. We hope Car Free Day will inspire more people to start regular play sessions on their streets.'
TfL said play streets, where roads are regularly shut to traffic for a few hours each week or month, ‘offer more than just a safe space for children to play outside with their friends: they also encourage a sense of community, as well as making sure streets feel friendlier and safer’.
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