This weekend, dozens of residential streets in London will become temporary play areas.
World Car Free Day 2023 is celebrated on 22 September across the world, but here in London we're making a long weekend of it. Across the capital, many streets will be closed off to traffic, allowing communities to get together on the tarmac. Space hoppers are optional.
The event is organised by London Play with help from Transport for London. The hundred or so streets taking part are all doing so voluntarily with the full buy-in of residents. It's a chance to see how our streets can be used when the motor car is banished.
There doesn't seem to be a central list of participating roads. Needless to say, it's going to be places like your Acacia Crescent and Willow Close rather than, say, Piccadilly or the M25 (oh wouldn't that be something?). If there's one near you, then you've probably already heard about it.
TfL is encouraging us all to walk, cycle or take public transport over the weekend. They used the opportunity to announce a new cycle hire docking bay on Nightingale Lane in Clapham, and a 50% monthly membership offer for sign-ups over Car Free Day. TfL would also like us to point you towards the free Go Jauntly app, which includes ideas for walking routes around the capital.
Car Free Day celebrations take on added significance this year, with motoring high on the political agenda. Last month saw the expansion of the Mayor's controversial ULEZ scheme, aimed at neutering the most polluting vehicles. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is dicking about with emissions targets, imposing a five-year delay to the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles.
Find out more about Car Free Day here. Images courtesy of TfL.
