Children of Lewisham – it’s time to reclaim the streets.
Playing in urban areas is being threatened by encroaching development and the dominance of traffic.
It is also being stifled by perceptions of risk, and fear.
But under a council scheme a community or school can seek the closure of a road for a few hours either as a one-off or a regular event.
The play street gives children a chance to play and make friends on their street and adults the opportunity to socialise with their neighbours in a car-free environment.
Lewisham council will support these initiatives where it can by deciding if a road can be temporarily closed safely and publishing the formal legal notices needed to close a road.
The council can permit temporary street closures at regular weekly or monthly intervals.
Local parents and residents volunteer to manage the closure process from start to finish.
Volunteers must manage the application process, marshalling any traffic and cleaning up after the event.
Closed streets will be very clearly marked out with road cones and volunteer marshals to ensure safety.
For more information on how to apply contact activetravel@lewisham.gov.uk or visit Lewisham Council’s dedicated webpage.
Lewisham offers the following opportunities to run play streets:
-
School
summer play street (every July).
The application deadline is 1 June 2019. -
Car
Free Day (every September).
Application deadline 1 August 2019. Car free days is an annual event, taking place this year on Sunday 22 September. It is a free event where Londoners are encouraged to leave their car at home and walk, cycle or use public transport. Communities are also invited to run street parties on their road. - For regular play streets (monthly closures throughout the year) there is no specific deadline, but the application process tends to take six to eight weeks.