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‘Play Streets’ pilot initiative launches in the Vale 

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been working closely with some residents in the Vale to implement safe, temporary street closures for children to enjoy outdoor play. 

 

  • Wednesday, 03 May 2023

    Vale of Glamorgan



Play Streets, or Playing Out Sessions, are neighbour-led temporary road closures, which have already proved popular across the UK. 


They create a safe space for children to play freely together on their doorstep.


The Vale Play Team have been working cooperatively with Play Wales and residents to implement street closures for outdoor play at two locations in the Vale. 


Play Street Initiative Residents at Romilly RoadRomilly Road and Dunraven Street, both located in Barry, are the focus of the Play Street pilot scheme. Each road will close for a total of 2 hours a month for the next 12 months, during which, children and residents can engage in outdoor play and socialisation. 


Residents of the roads will be provided with signage, hi-vis wear, a small play-kit, and information cards to carry out the road closure.  The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Community Play Development Officer will also be on hand to support and monitor during the closures. 


If the pilot scheme proves successful, play-related road closures could be made available for eligible roads across the Vale.  


As part of the Council’s plan to build an active and healthy Vale, participation in play has known long term preventative health and wellbeing benefits.  


Providing safe outdoor spaces will encourage children to participate in more active play. 


The introduction of Play Streets should also have a positive effect on air quality by reducing carbon emissions during the road closure period. This contributes to the Council’s Project Zero initiative to become carbon neutral by 2030. 


Cllr Gwyn John, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Wellbeing said: “It is the Council’s aim to make our communities more play friendly by increasing quality opportunities for play throughout the Vale. 


“Streets make up a considerable amount of public space and should be for everyone, not just cars. 


“Not everyone has access to a garden and some children can’t get to public parks or open spaces so easily.


“For a child, the most accessible everyday space is the one right outside their front door. By introducing a temporary road closure where possible, we can ensure that children have a safe space to engage in outdoor play, establish friendships, and build confidence. 


“The intended outcome of this pilot scheme is for more children to enjoy the health, social, cognitive and emotional benefits that outdoor play provides which also aligns with the Council’s goal of creating a healthy Vale and a healthy Wales.”