Set up a Play Street for Car Free Day  

Residents who want to transform their road into a Play Street on Car Free Day this year can close the road for free and apply for free play equipment.

Car Free Day is an annual event designed to encourage families to come together and enjoy a range of outdoor community celebrations with the focus on play and neighbourhood get-togethers. 

Car Free Days are being held over the weekend of 22 to 24 of September. Wandsworth Council will waive road closure fees and will make the process as quick and easy as possible – apply before the end of August. Any street can apply to take part, providing it isn’t a main road, bus route or emergency vehicle route. Find out more. 

London Play is encouraging people to take part by running its Swap your Car for a Spacehopper campaign – providing free play equipment like spacehoppers, toys and games to the first 100 streets that get in touch. Find out more.  

The council is also offering small grants via its Climate Change Fund. The first 30 streets to apply can get £50 towards equipment and non-alcoholic refreshments. Email transportation@wandsworth.gov.uk to apply once your road closure application has been approved. 

Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We are all in favour of giving children the opportunity to play outside in safety, so we want to encourage residents to make the most of Car Free Day, leave their car at home and get together with their neighbours to organise a play street.  

“It’s just one of the things we’re doing to make the roads safer and the air cleaner for children, including encouraging walking and cycling and setting up School Streets.”