Focus on play
January 2019
Play and transport
This briefing for officers within local authority transport policy and management departments provides information about how transport planning influences children’s opportunities to play. Children and teenagers need and are entitled to quality places for play as part of their everyday life within their own neighbourhood and community.
The importance of play for health and well-being Playing is central to children’s physical, mental, social and emotional health and well-being. Having welcoming places, enough time and the company of others to play with every day, is of great importance to all children and teenagers – we need to foster environments that support this. For children themselves, playing is one of the most important aspects of their lives. They value time, freedom and quality places to play. When asked what is important to them, children and teenagers consistently say playing with their friends – outdoors.
National and international policy In 2010, Wales became the first country in the world to legislate for play through the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010, which places a duty on local authorities to assess and secure sufficient play opportunities for children in their area. Wales – a Play Friendly Country, statutory guidance to local authorities, sets out a wide range of Matters across several policy areas that need to be taken into account.
The duty aims to ‘make communities more play friendly by valuing and increasing quality opportunities for play throughout the community. The intended outcome will be more children playing ... and so, enjoying the health, social, cognitive and emotional benefits that play provides’.1
As part of statutory Play Sufficiency Assessments (PSAs), local authorities must assess access to space/provision (Matter F). This includes open spaces and outdoor unstaffed designated play spaces. The statutory guidance notes that ‘in assessing for and creating play friendly communities, local authorities should work to ensure that children are able to move around their communities to play; to walk or cycle to open spaces, play or leisure provision; to visit family and friends or to attend school, without risk of harm’2. The Play Sufficiency Assessment should take into account all factors that contribute to children’s access to play or moving around their communities, including: •
Traffic calming
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Play streets / temporary road closures
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Safe walking and cycling routes
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Public transport provision
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Shared spaces
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Parking.