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Streets for People – Car Free Day Brighton

Keith Parkins | 22.09.2009 15:11 | Climate Chaos | Free Spaces | Health | South Coast

Sunday 20 September 2009, several streets in Brighton were closed to traffic, the streets free for people, and especially children, to wander around safely in a pollution free environment.

car free streets
car free streets

car mechanics on hand
car mechanics on hand

measuring power output
measuring power output

bike sculptures
bike sculptures


Several streets in Brighton closed to traffic, the space used to promote cycling.

 http://www.heureka.clara.net/sussex/brighton.htm

On hand bike mechanics to give free advice and to do a quick repair. Leaflets on various cycle routes through the city. Comments I heard were can this please be permanent?

Two solar powered sound stages, a poet's corner. As I wandered down to the seafront, I found Liam and Dylan, two young performers entertaining a gathering crowd.

 http://keithpp.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/liam-and-dylan/
 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34413&id=1033255116&l=c929b86027

On the seafront, free cycle-powered rickshaw trips along the sea front.

A similar event took place last year.

Streets are for people, it is time people claimed the streets back.

 http://www.carfree.com/
 http://www.worldcarfree.net/

Roads are public highways. Roads are multi-functional public space. A demonstration has just as much right to use that space, as does children playing, as does urban traffic.

Parts of North Laine are free of traffic and it is one reason why it is a popular place to wander around, that and the fact that it is not clone town.

Critics of the event were of the view it did not go far enough, and that more streets should have been closed to motorised traffic. The day, or at least the afternoon, did though give the opportunity to experience what it would be like if all our towns and cities were car free.

But at least Brighton had a car free day, which is more than can be said for most towns and cities across the country.

Today is World Car Free Day.

 http://www.worldcarfree.net/wcfd/

More pictures

 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34412&id=1033255116&l=e30c1a887e

Keith Parkins
- Homepage: http://www.heureka.clara.net/sussex/brighton.htm

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  1. sceptical — pissedoffwiththeUK