Write to your council about people-friendly streets

From re-allocating road space to improving public transport, local councils have power to create real changes that help more people go car free. But if we want changes to be made, we need to speak up, and let our local councillors know.

We have a webtool that makes it quick and easy for you to ask your council for a parklet process.* But if you’d prefer to write to your councillors about something else, you can find their contact details at gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors.

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*What’s a parklet process and why should I ask my council for one?

A parklet is an old parking space that has been transformed into something for people to enjoy. There’s no such thing as a typical parklet; they can take many forms. They are great for bringing communities together, and providing some much-needed local green space.

Hackney council, in London, has a process whereby ordinary people can apply for a parklet through the council’s website. If successful, can turn a car parking space into a new area for people to enjoy. Here are just three of the parklets that have popped up in Hackney:

However, for most of us, parklets are a pipedream. Car parking is often prioritised over community space and the vast majority of UK councils don’t have a simple process whereby residents can get permission to use parking spaces for anything other than parking a private vehicle. Fortunately, things are changing.

Hackney has led the way, and a few other councils including Lambeth and Waltham Forest are currently developing their own parklet application processes.

Will you tell your local council about parklets and ask them to follow in Hackney’s footsteps? We’ve created a tool with a template email for you to use, so it just takes two minutes and all you need is your name and postcode.