Memorandum from Play England (RS 24)
Play England welcomes the chance to respond
to the Transport Select Committee's inquiry consultation. Play
England is the leading national play organisation in England,
working under the aegis of the National Children's Bureau and
funded by the Big Lottery Fund. We currently hold a play policy
development and research contract with the Department for Culture
Media and Sport.
1. How does Great Britain compare with other
EU countries in its approach to reducing deaths and injuries?
Research has shown that Dutch children spend
half their pedestrian time in traffic-calmed/controlled areas,
but only 10% of English children are protected in this way. Pedestrian
mortality rates among English children are twice those of Dutch
children.[32]
2. What further policies, not already widely
used, might be considered for adoption and what evidence there
is for their success?
Priorities should include all local authorities
creating more 20 mph zones (which have been shown to reduce child
pedestrian deaths by 70%)[33]
in residential areas.
Hull's 20 mph zones have reduced the number
of people killed or seriously injured by 90%.[34]
However, it is not enough to concentrate solely
on road traffic accidents. In the longer term we propose that
greater emphasis be placed on the role of the streetscape, design
as well as traffic management, in affecting outcomes for children
and young people. The opportunities for everyday activity, social
development, encountering and managing risk and enjoying play
and informal recreation that have traditionally been had in and
around the streets where they live, are now largely denied to
children until they are young teenagers. There is a need to reshape
residential streets and to rethink how they are used and perceived
as although valuable. Merely introducing 20 mph zones is unlikely
to encourage significant numbers of children to play out more
in the streets where they live.
The government should therefore priorities applications
for Home Zones and similar schemes where people can share road
space more safely with traffic, through traffic calming measures
and redesign of communal areas.
In 2001, the prime minister announced a Home
Zone Challenge Fund. Local authorities in England were invited
to bid competitively for funding for home zone schemes. Sixty-one
schemes were selected, each scheme receiving an average of £500,000.
Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) evaluated
the schemes and gathered before and after information on traffic
speeds and volumes, accidents and attitudes and views of children
and adults. TRL evaluations[35]
found consistent support from adult and child residents for the
measures introduced in their streets. Five out of the seven evaluations
suggested a positive impact on children's play opportunities.
Over two-thirds of the adults interviewed thought that the home
zone had made it safer for children walking and cycling and just
over half thought that children should play in the street now
that it was a home zone.
In 2003 the then Association of London Government
(now renamed London Councils) funded London Play's Home Zones
for London project (HZfL). The project aimed to work in one designated
neighbourhood in five London boroughs, chosen for their diversity
and geographical spread. Two of the aims were to enable children's
access to safe play areas in their own neighbourhoods and increase
walking and physical activity levels.
An evaluation of the work of London Play's Home
Zones for London project, along with that of other home zone schemes
was conducted.[36]
One of the key findings of the evaluation was that home zones
make a real difference to children's outdoor play: children played
in the street more, and adults said streets were safer for children's
play. This also has an effect on levels of contact between adults,
which increased, creating a stronger sense of community and making
it more likely that parents will feel happy about giving their
children greater freedom outside the home as they grow up.
If you would like any further support of assistance
with information please do contact me, as I would be happy to
help.
February 2008
32 Bly, P, Dix, M and Stephenson, C, (1999) Comparative
study of European child pedestrian exposure and accidents. London:
Department for Transport and the Regions. Back
33
DCFS (2007) The Children's Plan-Building brighter futures. The
Department for Children Schools and Families: The Stationery Office. Back
34
Sustrans (2006) Stay safe on the school journey: Safe routes
to school. Sustrans. Back
35
Layfield, R, Chinn, L and Nicholls, D (2003) Pilot Home Zone
Schemes: Evaluation of The Methleys, Leeds (TRL 586). Wokingham:
Transport Research Laboratory. Back
36
Gill, T (2007) Can I play out . . .? Lessons from London Play's
Home Zones project. London: London Play. Back
| 
