To improve the easing of lockdown: encourage councils to designate side roads as pedestrian priority if residents request it. Children could then run and play in their own road, and neighbours could walk and talk together.
Let children visit friends in the same street. Open small local play areas (rather than big destination playgrounds). And let facilities like adventure playgrounds open for family groups, particularly those stressed by lockdown.
Rob Wheway, Director, Children’s Play Advisory Service
Editor's reply
Dear Rob
Wherever you stand on the polarised debate over whether schools should reopen, most people agree on two principles: children are missing out from not being at school, but at the same time the logistical challenge of opening again is enormous.
In the meantime, safe areas for children to play in are essential — but they are not a replacement for missing out on education.
Susannah Butter, Comment Editor
Don’t punish Londoners
The Government is playing petty politics and punishing Londoners for doing the right thing on Covid-19. It forced TfL to immediately reintroduce the congestion charge and widen its level and scope. To suggest this wasn’t a Government decision, as Shaun Bailey did yesterday, is nonsense. The Government is also inflicting punishment by insisting TfL fares rise above inflation next year, and suspending free travel at peak time for Freedom Pass and 60+ card holders. This bad deal for London isn’t what Sadiq Khan wanted, but was the only way to keep transport running.
Before Covid, Sadiq was fixing the mess Boris Johnson left TfL in — cutting TfL’s deficit by 71 per cent. But Covid has had a catastrophic impact, with a 90 per cent drop in fare income. The Government has provided financial support to other UK transport authorities with no similar punishments. Londoners will not forgive it.
Wes Streeting, MP for Ilford North
