A pilot Play Streets programme that would block traffic from designated roads during evenings and weekends is due for approval by the council. If successful, the first streets could be made safe for local children by the end of the year.
Funding of £5,000 has been secured for the pilot, in which the council plans to target streets in Swansea’s most deprived areas.
“Initially we expect to operate this on a small scale. The aim is community ownership of the play streets with council support,” said Swansea Council’s children’s play officer, Stephen Cable.
"We are planning to close the streets at a time that will cause minimal disruption, for example, one day a week from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, so we avoid a major impact on road users. We will also ensure those residents who need to use vehicles can do so, but under supervision of staff or volunteers.”
The council’s children’s play team is currently consulting with local organisations in Swansea. Once appropriate streets have been identified, the pilot will be trialled on about four streets.
Playing Out, a street play initiative that started in Bristol in 2009, said Swansea Council had contacted the organisation for advice.
"We have now been contacted by a lot of different councils, including Swansea, who are interested in finding ways to enable children to play out safely in their streets,” said Alice Ferguson, director of Playing Out.
“We very much welcome this as a step towards our long-term vision that children across the UK will have the space and freedom to play out on their doorsteps every day, without danger from fast-moving traffic.
“If children are going to get their recommended dose of physical activity, they need this immediate, easy access to space for play, as well as greater independent mobility to get around their neighbourhood on foot.”
In August, London’s Hackney Council announced it would trial play streets for a year. The pilot is expected to take place across the borough and begin this month.
