ADD2662 World Car Free Day 2023

    World Car Free Day is a decentralised event held annually on 22 September. No single organisation has global oversight of all activities but, since 1994, countries and cities have celebrated the day on, or close to, 22 September and activities have included: races for alternative-energy powered vehicles in Budapest, horse-riding in São Paulo, street picnics in Vienna, and running in Jakarta. 

1.2    In 2019, the Mayor hosted a World Car Free Day event in central London to allow Londoners to take over streets ordinarily used by cars to promote walking, cycling, improvements to air quality and a reduction in car use.

1.3    To mark World Car Free Day in 2023, the Mayor would like to support Play Streets events across London between Friday 22 September 2023 and Sunday 24 September 2023. This will increase the scale and reach of play streets in the longer-term, by equipping residents with the tools to run local play street events. At least half of the play-activated streets are expected to take place in a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, with the remaining taking place on residential streets. This will enable London’s diverse communities to experience the benefits of reduced car dependency and traffic dominance by spending time walking, cycling, playing and interacting with neighbours on their local streets.

1.4    London Play, the charity for children’s play in London, will lead the project. This will involve a publicity campaign to inspire, promote and raise awareness of Car Free Day and the opportunity for ordinary Londoners to get involved by activating their LTNs and residential streets with play. Dedicated support will also be provided to London boroughs and residents to enable as many play street events as possible to take place over the World Car Free Day weekend.

1.5     Up to £25,000 of grant funding will be awarded by the GLA to London Play in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. 

1.6       The London Play grant budget breaks down as follows:
•    £11,500 - staff costs (project management and communications)
•    £500 - Design/print/photography
•    £8000 - Play equipment incentives for first 100 streets 
•    £1200 - Go Kart workshop 
•    £1200 - evaluation
 

The Mayor’s Transport Strategy sets out plans to reduce car dependency which is essential for improving the health of all Londoners. Using the Healthy Streets Approach, which puts people and their health at the heart of decision making, the Mayor and TfL have been encouraging more Londoners to walk, cycle and use sustainable and efficient forms of public transport. 

2.2    The Play Streets events, marking 2023 World Car Free Day, will be a playful celebration of London’s Healthy Streets Approach in line with the objectives in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. Based on previous events, it is estimated that these events will reach at least 6,000 Londoners by providing space to walk, cycle, scoot, wheel, play and socialise safely where it is normally not possible to do so. Communities will be incentivised to take part through free play equipment including a prize draw for one street to get a free on-street go kart building workshop.

2.3    It is hoped that the experience of transforming streets into a valuable community space, will encourage many participants to go on to apply for regular play street sessions following the day.  This will contribute to tackling isolation and improving mental health in London’s communities, improving air quality, reducing road danger and inspiring more Londoners of all ages to get active as part of their daily lives through walking and cycling.

    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as public authorities, the Mayor and TfL are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to:
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; 
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and 
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 

3.2    Relevant protected characteristics under section 149 of the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

3.3     Play streets create a safe play space outside people’s homes which help to remove barriers to participation for people with disabilities, or for children who have limited access to parks or green spaces, or where going out to play involves travelling any distance. They are accessible to older and potentially isolated residents. Play streets create instant accessible space in areas that are otherwise poorly served for open space. 

3.4    The campaign will be promoted London-wide to attract participation from diverse communities across the capital. 
 

A city-wide activation of Play Streets to mark World Car Free Day will contribute to delivering the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, the London Health Inequalities Strategy and the London Environment Strategy. These strategies support a reduction in car dependency and traffic dominance, which have many negative impacts on cities and their residents including increasing inactivity and road danger, worsening air pollution and noise, congestion, and creating severance between people and communities. Successful Play Streets for World Car Free Day will help to demonstrate how a reduction in car dependency and traffic dominance can lead to healthy streets where people can play, walk and cycle safely, and spend time with neighbours.

4.2    Policy 5 of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy states “The Mayor, through TfL and the boroughs, and working with stakeholders, will prioritise space-efficient modes of transport to tackle congestion and improve the efficiency of streets for the movement of people and goods, with the aim of reducing overall traffic levels by 10-15 per cent by 2041.”

4.3    Similarly, Proposal 4.2.1.a of the London Environment Strategy is “The Mayor will promote and prioritise more sustainable travel in London, including walking, cycling and public transport, as part of the Healthy Streets Approach.”

4.4    The Environment Strategy encourages more car-free days to enable people to experience their local area from a different perspective, help enhance local communities, and deliver local improvements in air quality.

4.5    A key aim of the London Health Inequalities Strategy is to create healthy communities where more Londoners feel part of a community. This includes supporting opportunities for social integration, and ensuring people feel safe and able to participate. The strategy also supports more opportunities for leisure and outdoor play.

Conflicts of interest

4.6    There are no conflicts of interest to note for those involved in drafting or clearing this decision.  
 

Approval is requested for expenditure of up to £25,000 grant funding to develop and deliver a World Car Free Day 2023 Play Streets campaign for London. 

5.2    There is no budget currently set aside for this activity. The cost is relatively small and therefore will be accommodated within the current allocation within Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Unit where possible or within the wider Good Growth Directorate budget.