Council gives children freedom of streets (From Sutton Guardian)

Sutton Council gives children freedom of two Carshalton streets

5:20am Saturday 29th September 2012 in News By James Pepper

Council close streets to traffic to give children freedom of streets

Children were given the freedom of two streets last week when a pilot scheme saw roads closed to encourage them to play outside.

Sutton Council closed Buckhurst Avenue and Devonshire Road in Carshalton to traffic as part of a pilot scheme to allow youngsters to play outside their homes safely.

The council became one of the first London boroughs to try the scheme, known as Playing Out, and used powers usually reserved for the Notting Hill Carnival and Tour De France to close the roads.

On Wednesday, September 19, between 3.30pm to 5.30pm youngsters were free to run wild in the streets.

Leader of Sutton Council, Councillor Ruth Dombey, said: "It’s a simple idea, but utterly brilliant. The children can play, their parents can relax knowing the kids are safe and it helps to build a sense of community and people taking responsibility for each other.

"When I suggested the idea, I was delighted by the response from local parents. It is absolutely Sutton - communities getting together, it’s what we’re all about."