GuidanceOnStewardingaPlayStreet
Settinguptheclosures
• Theremustbetwostewardsateachclosurepoint.Onefloatingstewardisinthemiddle.
• Eachstewardmustwearahigh-vizjacketandcarryawhistle–providedbytheorganiser.
• Theclosurepointsateachendoftheroadshouldbesetupsimultaneouslybystringinga‘Road
Closed’signonawheeliebin–positionedinthemiddleoftheroad,oralternativelythesigncan
bestrungbetweentwowheeliebins.
• ‘RoadAheadClosed’signs,ifprovided,shouldbeusedbeforeeachclosurepointtogivedrivers
extrawarning–positionedtothesideoftheroad.
• Usetrafficconesacrosstheroadatclosurepoints–theseareprovidedbytheCouncil.
• Childrenshouldnotplayintheroaduntilthestreetisclosedoffandstewardsareinposition.
• Remindparentsthattheyareresponsiblefortheirchildren-useon-streetflyersandtell
people.
• Stewardsshouldstayinsidethebarrierfortheirsafetyandsothatdriverscanseethesignage.
Keepchildreninsidetheclosure
• Lookoutforchildrentryingtogobeyondthebarrierandremindthemtostayonpavements
beyondthebarrier.
• Ifyouhaveconcerns,trytolocatethechild’sparentsandgetassistancefromotherparents.
Divertingthroughtraffic
• Befriendlywhendivertingpeople.Smileandpointtothediversionroute.
• Ifdriversask,explainbriefly:“Theroadisshutforafewhourssochildrencanplayout.”
• ItalsohelpstohaveHackneyPlayStreetsflyersyoucanhandout.
Residents’access
Residentswholiveinthestreetstillhavevehicleaccess(inandoutofthestreet).Ifaresident
wantstoenterorleavetheroadintheirvehicle,thisistherecommendedprocedure:
• Onestewardexplainstothedrivertheycanhavestewardedaccessoncethestreetisclear.Get
theiragreementandstaywiththedriver.Donotopenthebarrieryet.
• YoucanalsoshowdriversacopyofHackneyCouncil’swrittenguidancetodrivers–seepage3.
• Cleartheroadofallthoseplayingout.Thisshouldbedonebyonestewardfromeachendand
thefloatingstewardwalkingupanddown,blowingwhistlesandshouting:“Carcoming,move
ontothepavements.”
• Whentheroadisfullyclear,onestewardfromtherelevantendwalksthecarinorout–
walkinginfrontofthevehicleat5mphorslower.
• Keepblowingthewhistleinshortburstsandshoutout“Carcoming,stayonpavements”.
• Onlyremovethebarrierwhenthecarisjustabouttopassthroughandreplaceitimmediately
topreventothercarsfollowingbehind.
• Oncethecarhasparkedorlefttheroad,shoutout“Safetoplay”.
Cyclists
Explaintocyclistswhatishappeningandthatyoungchildrenareplayinginthestreet.Tellthem
theycanenterbutmustgoveryslowly/cautiously(5mph)orwalktheirbikethrough.
Floatingsteward
Thefloatingsteward’skeyroleiskeepinganeyeandearoutforenginesstartingupwithin,ornear
theclosure–andtostopanyvehiclefromattemptingtosuddenlyleavetheroad.Floatingstewards
alsoassisttheotherstewardsbyhelpingtoalertandcleareveryonewhencarsareabouttobe
walkedthrough.Theyalsohelpwithreopeningtheroad–seebelow.
Dealingwithdifficultdrivers
Sometimesdriversmaybecomeangryordifficult.Keepcalmbutassertive.Explaintheclosureis
legalandtemporary–showthemthelegalnotice,whichshouldbeuponlamppostsnearclosure
points.Ifthisisn’tworking,callforbackupfromtheorganiserorotherstewards.Ifyoufeel
threateneddial999andalertparentstoensurechildren’ssafety.
Reopeningtheroadandthebufferzone
Therehavebeencaseswherechildrenhavesoughttoreturntoplayintheroadafteraplaystreet
hasceased.Inonecase,achildwasknockeddownbyacarandinjured,thankfullynotseriously.
Forthisreason,werecommendabufferzoneorstagedapproachtoreopeningtheroad.Inessence,
thismeansthatyouendtheplaystreetsession10-15minutesbeforeyouintendtophysically
reopentheroad.Giveeveryonelotsofnoticethatthestreetistobereopenedtocars.Youshould
alsogentlyencourageparentstotaketheirchildrenindoorsbeforethestreetreopens.
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Onestewardfromeachendandthefloatingstewardshouldwalkupanddownthestreetand
giveaseriesofwarningsintheleaduptotheformalendofthesession.
Theothertwostewardsstayattheclosurepointsatalltimes.
Tomarktheendoftheplaysession,allstewardsshouldblowtheirwhistlesrepeatedly,shout
out:“Playstreetfinishednow”.
Afterthesessionhasended,takeatleast10minutestoensurethateveryoneisoutoftheroad,
andthatanyoneleftonthepavementsisawarethatcarsareabouttoreturn.Talktoparents
individually–tellthemitisrecommendedtheytakechildreninsidebeforetheroadreopens.
Co-ordinatereopeningtheroadatbothends,sothebarriersareremovedsimultaneously.
Onestewardfromeachendshouldremoveallbins,barriersandroadsigns.
Atthesametimetheotherstewardsshoutout:“Carscomingthroughnow,”blowwhistles,and
doafinalsweepwalkingdownthepavementstoensureeveryoneisaware.
TheHackneyPlayStreetsProject–partofHackneyPlayAssociationandfundedbyHackneyCouncil-
issuedthisguidance.Goto:www.hackneyplay.org/play-streetswhereyoucandownloadthisdocumentand
otherfreetools.Theguidanceisadaptedfromthe‘Stewards’Information’noteproducedbyPlayingOut,
thecommunityinterestcompanywhichpioneeredthe‘playingout’modelofroadclosuresandsupports
anyonewhowantschildrentoplayoutmore,withfreetoolsandresources.Goto:www.playingout.net
A project by:
Supported by:
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GuidanceNotesfordriversusingastreetwhileaplaystreet
sessionisoccurring
1.Driversmustwaituntilchildrenandadultshavebeenclearedfromthe
streetbystewards.
2.Astewardwillinformadriverwhentheycanmoveoff.
3.Astewardwillescortvehiclesinandout-walkinginfrontofthevehicles.
Theymustdriveatawalkingpace-amaximumof5mphorslower.
4.Vehicles/driversmustdrivewithduecareandattentionatalltimes,with
specialconsiderationthattherearechildrenplayinginthestreet.
5.Visitors/deliverydrivershavethesameobligations.Itisyourdutyasa
residentwithinthestreettoinformanyoneleavingyourpropertyoftheir
obligations,sothattheydon'tjustdriveoffwithoutfirstinformingasteward
andallowingchildrentobeclearedfromthestreetfirst.
6.ThroughdriversarenotpermittedaccesstothestreetwhileaTemporary
PlayStreetsessionishappening.
Ifyouhaveanenquiryaboutplaystreets,pleasecontactHackneyCouncil’s
Streetsceneteam.
Tel:02083568991
Email:[email protected]
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