GuidanceOnStewardingaPlayStreet
Settinguptheclosures
• Twostewardsareneededateachclosurepoint.One‘floating’stewardisinthemiddle.
• Stewardswearahighvistopandawhistle–providedbytheorganiser
• Setupthetwoclosurepointssimultaneously.Stringthe‘RoadClosed’signtoawheeliebin(or
betweentwowheeliebins).Use‘RoadAheadClosed’signs,ifprovided,aheadoftheclosure.
• Usetrafficcones,ifprovided,atclosurepoints.
• Stayinsidethebarrierforyoursafetyandsodriverscanclearlyseethesignage.
Keepchildreninsidetheclosure
• Lookoutforchildrentryingtogobeyondthebarrierandremindthemtostayonpavements
beyondthebarrier.
• Ifyouhaveconcerns,trytolocatethechild’sparentsandgetassistancefromothers.
Divertingthroughtraffic
• Befriendlywhendivertingpeople,smileandpointtothediversionroute.
• Ifdriversstoptoaskwhat’shappening,brieflyexplain–e.g.“Theroadisshutsochildrencan
playoutforafewhourslikeweusedtowhenwewerekids.”ItalsohelpstohaveHackneyPlay
Streetsflyersyoucanhandout.
Residents’access
Residentswholiveintheclosedoffstreetstillhavevehicleaccess.Aswellasexplainingthewalkthroughaccess,youcanshowthemHackneyCouncil’swrittenguidancefordrivers–seepage3.
Ifaresidentwantstoentertheroadintheirvehicle:
• StewardAstayswiththedriver.Explainthattokeepeverybodysafe,theywillbewalkedinat
5mphoncepeopleinthestreethavemovedontothepavements.Ensuretheyunderstandand
gettheiragreement.Donotopenthebarrieryet.
• MeanwhileStewardBwalksdownthestreetblowingawhistle,shouting:“Carcoming,move
ontothepavements.”Gethelpfromthefloatingsteward.Whentheroadisclear,StewardB
returnstothebarrierandstandsinfrontofthecarreadytowalkitthrough.
• StewardAremovesthebarrierbrieflytoallowthecarin.
• StewardBslowlymarshalsthecarintothestreet,walkingdirectlyinfrontofit.Blowthe
whistleinshortburststokeepalertingpeople.Shoutout:“Carcoming,stayonthepavements”.
• StewardAputstheroadclosuresign/conesbackintopositionassoonasthecarpasses.
• Oncethecarisparked,StewardBshoutsouts:“Safetoplay,”andreturnstothebarrier.
Ifaresidentwantstoleavetheroadintheirvehicle:
• Thefloatingstewardaskswhichwaytheyaregoing.Nowexplaintheescortedwalk-outprocess
andbecleartheyunderstand.Alertthetwostewardsfromtheappropriatebarrier.
• Thefloatingstewardstayswiththedriver,whileStewardBwalksupthestreetblowinga
whistle,shouting:“Carcoming,moveontothepavements”.Checkforchildrenaroundthecar.
• Oncetheroadisclear,StewardBmarshalsthecaroutbywalkingdirectlyinfrontofit,shouting
“Carcoming,stayonpavements,”blowingthewhistleinshortburststokeepalertingpeople.
• StewardAremovesthebarrierwhenStewardBgetsthere,thebarrierisclosedimmediately
afterthecarhaspassedthrough.Nowshout:“Safetoplay”.
Continued…
Floatingsteward
Thefloater’skeyroleiskeepinganeyeandearoutforenginesstartingupwithintheclosure–and
tostopanyonetryingtoleavesuddenly–explainingthewalk-throughprocessasaboveand
alertingotherstewards.Theyshouldalsoassisttheotherstewardswhencarsarewalkedthrough.
Cyclists
Explaintocyclistswhatishappening,andchildrenareplayinginthestreet.Saytheycanstillenter
butmustgoveryslowly/cautiously(5mph)orwalktheirbikethrough.Ifyouencounterissues
withcyclistscomingthroughtoofast–usingbuntingacrossthebarrierareacandeterthis.
Dealingwithdifficultdrivers
Sometimesdriversmaybecomeangryordifficult.Keepcalmbutassertive,explainingtheclosureis
legalandtemporary(pointtothelegalnoticethatwillbeupthestreetandhandthemtheattached
councilguidance).Ifthisisn’tworking,callforbackupfromtheorganiserorotherstewards.Ifyou
feelthreateneddial999andalertparentstoensurechildren’ssafety.
Reopeningtheroadandthebufferzone
Therehavebeencaseswherechildrenhavegonebackinthestreetintheimmediateaftermathofa
playstreetfinishingandinonecaseachildwasknockedbyacar.Forthisreason,werecommenda
bufferzoneapproachtoreopeningtheroad.Thismeansyouformallyendtheplaystreetsession
10-15minutesbeforeyouintendtophysicallyreopentheroad.Youalsoencourageparentstotake
theirchildrenindoorsbeforethestreetreopens.
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StewardsBfromeachendwalkdownthestreetgivingaseriesofwarningseg10-minute
warningandthen5-minutewarningintheleaduptotheformalendofthesession.Thefloater
shouldgivelotsofhelpheretoo.StewardsAstaysateachclosurepointatalltimes.
Duringthisstage,encouragepeopletoclearrubbish.Handingbinbagsisagoodcue!
Tomarktheendofthesession,allstewardsblowwhistlesrepeatedly-orringabellloudly–
andtellparentsforchildren’ssafety,yourecommendtakingtheminsidebeforetheroad
reopens.
Afterthesessionhasended,takeatleast10minutesensuringeveryoneisoutoftheroad,and
thatanyoneleftonthepavementsisawarecarsareabouttoreturn.
Toreopenthestreet,StewardsAfromeachendwalktowardsthemiddleofthestreetshouting
out:“Carscomingthrough”.OnetheymeetinthemiddletheStewardsBdothesamewalking
thewheeliebinswith‘RoadClosed’signattachedensuringthattheroadisclearandreadyfor
normalvehicleaccess.
TheHackneyPlayStreetsProject–partofHackneyPlayAssociationandfundedbyHackneyCouncil-
issuedthisguidance.Seewww.hackneyplay.org/play-streetsTheguidanceisadaptedfromthe‘Stewards’
Information’noteproducedbyPlayingOut,thecommunityinterestcompanywhichpioneeredthe‘playing
out’modelofroadclosuresandsupportsanyonewhowantschildrentoplayoutmore.
Goto:www.playingout.net
Supported by:
A project by:
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GuidanceNotesfordriversusingastreetwhileaplaystreet
sessionisoccurring
1.Driversmustwaituntilchildrenandadultshavebeenclearedfromthe
streetbystewards.
2.Astewardwillinformadriverwhentheycanmoveoff.
3.Astewardwillescortvehiclesinandout-walkinginfrontofthevehicles.
Theymustdriveatawalkingpaceamaximumof5mph.
4.Vehicles/Driversmustdrivewithduecareandattentionatalltimes,with
specialconsiderationthattherearechildrenplayinginthestreet.
5.Visitors/deliverydrivershavethesameobligations.Itisyourdutyasa
residentwithinthestreettoinformanyoneleavingyourpropertyoftheir
obligationssothattheydon'tjustdriveoffwithoutfirstinformingasteward
andallowingchildrentobeclearedfromstreetetc.
6.ThroughdriversarenotpermittedaccesstothestreetwhileaTemporary
PlayStreetsessionishappening.
Ifyouhaveanenquiryaboutplaystreets,pleasecontactHackneyCouncil’s
Streetsceneteam.
Tel:02083568991
Email:[email protected]
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