http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Playing Out (in Edinburgh?) en Thu, 21 May 2026 03:43:48 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-381428 Sun, 05 Oct 2025 12:15:15 +0000 chdot 381428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Dear supporters and activators, we have some news to share. After 16 years of working for all children’s freedom to play out- through bottom-up change like play streets, campaigning and policy change - Playing Out CIC (the organisation) will end on March 31st 2026. It’s time to return Playing Out to where it began – a movement for change. And one which we as individuals will still be part of. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://mailchi.mp/playingout/next-chapter-for-playing-out" rel="nofollow">https://mailchi.mp/playingout/next-chapter-for-playing-out</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-377870 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:59:14 +0000 chdot 377870@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Interventions such as play streets enable children’s engagement in active travel in a number of ways. With safe space to play on their streets, children use this space to learn to scoot, cycle, and skate. In a 2017 survey of ‘playing out’ streets, the majority reported that children had learned/ improved skills including riding a bike (80%) and scooting (85%) (Playing Out, 2017). These skills learnt on playable streets support children and their families to engage in active travel to school and around their neighbourhoods, in turn supporting the widely-cited health and sustainability benefits of active travel; that these opportunities are often developed with neighbours reinforces their value, enabling families to travel together to school actively and laying the foundations for active journeys to school without adults for older children. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X-fq6YVDjk70Piz8bCAMPFgnQyMSmyb8Zrz-Y80wz5M/mobilebasic" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X-fq6YVDjk70Piz8bCAMPFgnQyMSmyb8Zrz-Y80wz5M/mobilebasic</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-376554 Wed, 11 Sep 2024 22:52:37 +0000 cb 376554@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It was also lovely, particularly for the school run, to have no through traffic on Craiglea Drive for three weeks. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-376533 Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:03:34 +0000 Greenroofer 376533@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@DuddingstonDomestique - that's my neck of the woods, and I noticed exactly the same yesterday. The road was closed, devoid of cars, with a lovely smooth surface, and the kids were bombing around it on their bikes. It was simultaneously lovely and depressing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-376513 Mon, 09 Sep 2024 09:43:42 +0000 DuddingstonDomestique 376513@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Was visiting friends in Morningside on Sunday afternoon. A few sections of Craiglea Drive have been closed off for resurfacing with the cars relocated. It was wonderful to see the car-free sections recolonised by children: lads playing football with traffic cones borrowed to use as goals; girls out with hockey sticks (not suggesting that girls do not play football). It was rather like seeing a modern recreation of a photograph from the 1930s. Half a dozen childrens’ bikes were sitting out on the road presumably used for cycling around by the same children. Shame it will end when the work is done. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-367560 Sat, 15 Apr 2023 19:06:39 +0000 CocoShepherd 367560@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So many aspects of this story just made me so sad to read them </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-367552 Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:45:05 +0000 chdot 367552@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>(Not Edinburgh)</p> <p>“</p> <p>She said: “The council told me they were breaking the law with their games because they were obstructing the highway. They always move out of the way for cars and they are never out after dark.”</p> <p>…</p> <p>As thousands of new homes spring up across the UK, anti-child bias has been found on developments with families left frightened they would be evicted for letting children play in communal areas. Alice Ferguson, co-founder of the campaign group Playing Out, said: “There is a serious crisis in children’s physical and mental health in this country, yet some people still want to stop children having the time and space to play outside together. We need to accept that children live in communities and have a right to be seen and heard. A bit of noise from children playing outside is a small price to pay for a happier, healthier generation.” </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/15/uk-families-threats-police-warnings-children-playing-in-street" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/15/uk-families-threats-police-warnings-children-playing-in-street</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-361168 Sat, 04 Jun 2022 12:52:18 +0000 chdot 361168@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not quite, but…</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/platinum-jubilee-in-edinburgh-what-roads-are-closed-for-street-parties-in-edinburgh-during-the-jubilee-bank-holiday-weekend-3719150" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/platinum-jubilee-in-edinburgh-what-roads-are-closed-for-street-parties-in-edinburgh-during-the-jubilee-bank-holiday-weekend-3719150</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-335025 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 18:35:40 +0000 unhurt 335025@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The giant snowball one is fantastic. Plus the kids &amp; dog guddling in the drain. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=4#post-334944 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 09:58:57 +0000 I were right about that saddle 334944@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh, pangs of loss. Things like the big home-knitted jumpers, the scuffed toecaps of the shoes and the children using everyday objects to engage in unabashed fantasy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-334943 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 09:41:51 +0000 gembo 334943@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Great photos</p> <p>Stank lifters</p> <p>Wee kid in her dad’s huge shoes</p> <p>All fab </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-334940 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 09:14:41 +0000 chdot 334940@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/paradise-street-vintage-photographs-that-examine-the-lost-art-of-playing-outside-in-britain/" rel="nofollow">https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/paradise-street-vintage-photographs-that-examine-the-lost-art-of-playing-outside-in-britain/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-306234 Wed, 08 May 2019 15:54:32 +0000 chdot 306234@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/may/08/marmalade-lane-co-housing-cambridge" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/may/08/marmalade-lane-co-housing-cambridge</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-288519 Wed, 08 Aug 2018 11:26:03 +0000 davidsonsdave 288519@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@himupstairs Your Playing Out session seems to have been a lot more exciting that ours was. </p> <p>The neighbour who actually took the time to complain to the council before last years session, leaves the street when they take place and we seem to be winning over some of the doubters with coffee, cake, beer and barbecues. If legend is to be believed, your neighbour is a bit more tricky! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-288513 Wed, 08 Aug 2018 09:32:01 +0000 himupstairs 288513@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We are having another one on Silverknowes Drive this weekend. Shall see if there’s any grief this time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-288450 Tue, 07 Aug 2018 09:41:21 +0000 davidsonsdave 288450@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We had a very pleasant Playing Out session on Sunday. I also heard that they had one recently on the nearby Silverknowes Drive, which forms part of NCN1, at which a cyclist got rather sweary when they were asked to slow down. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282817 Thu, 17 May 2018 22:12:05 +0000 weezee 282817@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I really can't take the credit here, there was a small group of us. With some of very persistent members. We had a very specific goal, which helped. But it really did seem like it would never happen. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282816 Thu, 17 May 2018 22:11:23 +0000 gembo 282816@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well done weezee. Read the piece on BBC website, all positive </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282814 Thu, 17 May 2018 21:56:12 +0000 HankChief 282814@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Great work Weezee. Perseverance pays off. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282809 Thu, 17 May 2018 21:06:34 +0000 weezee 282809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Update: report passed unanimously, thanks to deployment of 7-year old doing his best 'I'm a quiet little mouse, really' impression while presenting his views on playing out to the committee. The finer details are yet to be worked out but applying for playing out should be possible from this summer onwards. </p> <p>A special mention for where this all began: I heard a speaker on playing out during the women's cycle forum nearly 3 years ago. Yes, it really takes that long... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282581 Mon, 14 May 2018 22:16:48 +0000 Frenchy 282581@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Z is one of those Scottish Zs, like in Menzies? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282578 Mon, 14 May 2018 21:50:57 +0000 chdot 282578@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How do you mispronounce weezee... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-282577 Mon, 14 May 2018 21:45:38 +0000 weezee 282577@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Things are finally moving on the Edinburgh Playing Out front with a report going to the Transport committee this Thursday. The report is overwhelmingly positive and recommends rolling it out as council policy at no cost to residents. </p> <p>The report is available from the council website: <a href="http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/57065/item_714_-_edinburgh_playing_out_pilot_evaluation">http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/57065/item_714_-_edinburgh_playing_out_pilot_evaluation</a></p> <p>I'd be interested in any feedback or comments about the report from CCE wise heads. It looks pretty good to me, though I believe there are ways to streamline the process and the budget. </p> <p>We got good coverage today on BBC Edinburgh website, the Edinburgh Evening News and STV 6 o'clock news, who thankfully managed to get my name wrong so I can slip back into incognito mode. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-257125 Mon, 14 Aug 2017 12:43:36 +0000 ARobComp 257125@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My sister and sprogs took part in one near the primary school on Ashley terrace. They said they very much enjoyed themselves. I believe that my nieces were involved in a cake stand and raised £100 for the sick kids hospital which is great! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-257119 Mon, 14 Aug 2017 11:50:21 +0000 weezee 257119@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Also, as the pilot is ending soon, we (Edinburgh Playing Out) are looking for feedback on any street closures. A report to Committee is expected and we'd like to contribute and press for a continuation of free street closures for Playing Out and community get-togethers.<br /> As of 20 July, 25 streets and 46 dates were approved by City of Edinburgh Council.</p> <p>If you have closed your street, please let us know:<br /> Streetname &lt; &gt;<br /> Playing Out Dates &lt; &gt;<br /> Rough Attendance &lt; &gt;<br /> Activities - did you do more than close the street ? &lt; &gt;<br /> Feedback on:<br /> 1 - application process eg ease of form completion, Council's helpfulness, communication, speed of response, dropping off road closure equipment etc<br /> 2 - any problems? eg objectors, lack of road closure equipment<br /> 3 - how it went on the day<br /> 4 - your comments and feedback from others<br /> 5 - photos<br /> PLEASE EMAIL TO <a href="mailto:edinburghplayingout@gmail.com">edinburghplayingout@gmail.com</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-257117 Mon, 14 Aug 2017 11:44:48 +0000 weezee 257117@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From my own experiences on my street and through talking to others in Edinburgh Playing Out, the casual objections to closing a street for a few hours run from the sublime to the ridiculous:<br /> "Why not take the kids to a park?"<br /> "It teaches children bad road sense - they should be frightened to be on a road, not told they can play on it"<br /> And my personal favourite:<br /> "Nobody around here wants this" (despite being surrounded by 30 adults and children having a great time) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-256715 Sat, 05 Aug 2017 08:50:43 +0000 gembo 256715@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@davidsondave, maybe the silver knowes wall builder was not allowed to play in the street as a child?</p> <p>I tend to read complaints which focus on shortness of consultation as We know this is a good idea but we don't like it so we are going to object to some other things so we can be a nuisance. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-256713 Sat, 05 Aug 2017 08:43:04 +0000 sallyhinch 256713@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good article here <a href="https://rethinkingchildhood.com/2017/08/02/reports-street-play-key-sustainable-livable-cities/amp/" rel="nofollow">https://rethinkingchildhood.com/2017/08/02/reports-street-play-key-sustainable-livable-cities/amp/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-256600 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 12:01:31 +0000 acsimpson 256600@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Perhaps if the wall had been built it would provide a more fruitful experience for everyone that having a conversation like Arellcat's. It sounded rather less productive than banging your head off a brick wall. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14971&page=3#post-256533 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 16:09:05 +0000 davidsonsdave 256533@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@arellcat Yes, indeed!. </p> <p>We condensed the key information as to why Playing Out is good for both the children and the community. We also provided a list of the main concerns/questions that people tend to have along with real life experiences from other such events elsewhere, to try and allay any fears.</p> <p>In addition to them feeling that we hadn't given them enough notice, the complaint itself mentioned a handful of incidents which have occurred in the street recently: damage to a car, someone throwing eggs at a car and someone throwing stones at windows. These all happened in the early hours and are unrelated to the children who live in the street, being allowed to play in the street for a couple of hours.</p> <p>The letter also suggested that the event would be overrun by hoards of children from a nearby council estate. Presumably these other children are to blame for the above incidents.</p> <p>If my spider senses are correct, this neighbour was one of those who was keen to build a <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=7472">wall</a> between said council estate and themselves a few years ago. </p>