We formally launched our ActiveStreets programme on the 23rd August 2019 by signing the Car Free Day Pledge at our ‘Play Street’ at Fisherton/Luton Street, which coincided with the publication of updated guidance on ‘Street Play’, from the Department for Transport (DfT).
The ActiveStreets programme
Our ActiveStreets programme is a key strategy commitment of our ActiveWestminster strategy – Activate Your City, Lives and Neighbourhoods. This strategy is in addition to our Open Spaces and Biodiversity strategy and consists of three types of ActiveStreet;
- ‘Play Street’
- A permanent designation which will provide priority over traffic to children and families to play in streets at specified times. This is underpinned by Department for Transport legislation (Section 29, Road Traffic Act 1984).
- ‘Street Play’
- Facilitated by temporary road closures for children and families to play in streets at specified days, times and locations. We will shape a policy that makes applying for Street Play as simple and as affordable (ideally, free) as possible.
- ‘School Street’
- Provided either via permanent or temporary road closures for school children to play in the streets outside the school at specified days and times.
Delivery of the ActiveStreets programme
We are currently finalising our ‘Street Play’ policy, which aligns with DfT guidance and with Playing Out’s best practice guidelines. It is anticipated that our ‘Street Play’ policy will be published in Spring 2020 and this will enable and facilitate schools, residents and communities to apply to hold ‘Street Play’ sessions/activities, not just for Car Free Day on the 22nd September 2020, but all-year-round.
Each ActiveStreet should be supported by;
- Activation
- An initial up to one-year programme of sports/play activities for children, young people, families and older people led by ActiveWestminster, the School and/or our partners.
- Sustainability
- ‘StreetMakers’ a programme to identify, recruit, train and deploy parents, volunteers, community groups to continue to the programme of activation after the initial period and to ensure community ownership of the ActiveStreet.
We are meaningfully implementing our overall ActiveStreets programme to encourage, facilitate and enable our schools, residents and communities to apply to help open up our streets for activities in a variety of different ways; whether that be a ‘Play Street, a ‘School Street’ or ‘Street Play’ sessions/activities.
