Giving children the chance to play on their doorstep
Kids (and adults!) can reclaim their streets for a few hours and have fun outdoors - all thanks to a scheme that closes residential streets to through traffic for a few hours.
It’s a great way to build community spirit, with parents and residents able to apply to close a street and act as marshals.
It also promotes safer neighbourhoods, helps to reduce air pollution, encourages outdoor activity - all while having fun!
To find out more and apply for a Play Street event, please complete the follow steps:
- Email Playstreets-group@royalgreenwich.gov.uk to find out if your street is eligible (for example, it must be a residential street with no bus route).
- Once you have received confirmation that your street is eligible, gauge support for your Play Street event by talking to your neighbours.
- Send a letter to all residents to introduce the idea and invite them to an informal residents meeting using our play streets introduction letter template. This is an opportunity to express concerns, ask questions and discuss practicalities. Aim to enlist sufficient numbers of residents that represent the street and can help to run the event.
- Finally, complete the play streets application form and email it to Playstreets-group@royalgreenwich.gov.uk Don't forget to include the separate document with the supporting signatures.
If your application is approved, we will provide you with road closed signs (and where needed, road ahead closed signs) to put up on the day.
Stewarding the closures
During play streets sessions the street won’t be closed completely; people living on the street can still drive to and from their homes at 5mph. You will need to recruit friends or neighbours to help on the day; there has to be someone at each end of the street to warn cars and escort them in or out once children have been cleared from the road.
Residents running a Play Street event must complete a risk assessment and review the guidance on 'how to steward a Play Street' before hosting your first event to ensure the safety of children on your street.
How to steward a School Street or Play Street scheme.
Reporting incidents
To report an incident of someone driving without due care during a Play Street event to the Metropolitan Police, click here. This should be used for non-emergencies only, call 999 if a crime is happening now or someone is in immediate danger.
When to apply
We are currently taking applications for Summer and Autumn 2023.