A new ‘Play Streets’ initiative has launched in Bradford in a bid to get more children playing outside.
Residents living on quiet, residential streets or cul-de-sacs can apply to close their street for between 1-3 hours to reduce traffic so that children can safely spend more time outside.
The initiative hopes to tackle the fact that children are spending far more time indoors, leading increasingly sedentary lives, and less time playing outside.
A recent ‘Born in Bradford’ study showed that 64% of 9 to 10-year-olds are not getting their recommended amount of daily exercise and spend up to 70% of their day sitting down.
Bradford Council says there are many complex reasons why children are not spending as much time outdoors, pointing to a study which suggests that concerns around traffic danger has led to many parents being fearful of letting their children play outdoors.
Cllr Sue Duffy, portfolio holder for children and families and living well at Bradford Council, said: “There is a real need in Bradford to create more opportunities for our children to play outside as this has huge, long-term benefits to their physical health and mental wellbeing.
“I’m delighted that we have now launched our Play Streets scheme as it allows residents and local communities to provide safe spaces in which children and families can play and socialise.”
The launch of the new initiative comes after pilot Play Street sessions were successfully trialled at two separate sites in October last year and January this year. The council-backed pilots demonstrated what could be achieved with a temporary restriction to traffic on residential streets with an estimated 30 adults and 35 children joining in across the two sessions.
Good luck to the Bradford road safety officers explaining to young children that playing in the road on Playstreets day is OK but not on other days. It is mixed messaging and that is not usually well absorbed by youngsters. Has there been any structured investigation whether such schemes dilute the core road safety message of “KEEPING SAFE”? There should be more to the assessment than children/families engagement and participation on the day of the road closure.
Pat, Wales
+3
I pity the poor residents in these ‘quiet, residential roads’ whose peace and quiet will now be ruined by noisy children playing in the road outside their houses. Parks and playgrounds were built for this purpose and, last time I checked, these sort of places do not traditionally carry traffic.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
+2