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Reimagine. Your city. Car free.

Car Free Day 2x1

Please note that this event has already occured.

Key information

Date: Sunday 22 September 2019

Time: 10:30am to 5:00pm

Cost: Free - no tickets required

This World Car Free Day you can join in free activities for people of all ages and abilities across 27km of traffic-free roads around Tower Bridge, London Bridge and the City of London.

View the event map

View the event programme

View walking tours

View guided cycle rides

Highlights of the ‘Reimagine’ event in central London include:

  • classic cycle rides on Tower Bridge
  • group yoga and meditation sessions on Tower Bridge
  • Bank Junction transformed into a car-free festival space, with a picnic area and musical entertainment on a solar-powered stage
  • a hedge maze in Cheapside
  • car parking spaces changed into ‘parklets’ filled with games, gardening and places to sit and relax with music
  • children can build and race their own go-karts in Poultry
  • Tower of London historical re-enactment of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381
  • pop-up playgrounds, guided walks and bike rides on traffic-free roads, street food stalls, art installations, BMX rides and more

Santander Cycles is also offering free hires across London on Car Free Day to encourage people to cycle to and from events.

Reimagine supports the Mayor’s work to enable more Londoners to cycle, walk and use public transport to help improve health and reduce car emissions.

As well as the Mayor’s central London event, 24 London boroughs will be supporting hundreds of Play Streets across London and many boroughs will be holding their own Car Free Day events.

See the map of car-free events across London.

Local borough events

The following London boroughs are holding events to celebrate Car Free Day 2019:

Brent will celebrate Car Free Day with an event on Coronet Parade, Wembley, HA0 4BA. Explore the street free of cars, with free smoothies, games, cycle repairs, face painting, and plenty of fun for all! 22 September 2019, 11am-3pm. See the Facebook event for more details.

Leighton Road in Kentish Town will go car-free with a street party from 12-3pm on Car Free Day, with local food, a bouncy castle, a bake-off, volleyball, football and much more!

Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia will be closed from 10am-6pm on Car Free Day, with seating for picnics.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is holding a Play Street ahead of Car Free Day on Thursday 19 September from 1-5pm, on Great Ormond Street between Powis Place and Lamb’s Conduit Street.

Visit https://news.camden.gov.uk/closing-roads-in-camden-for-car-free-day-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis/ for further details of the Leighton Road event.

Croydon will be hosting a Play Street event in partnership with Cypress Primary School.

When: Friday 27 September, 3pm to 5pm

Where: Cypress Road, Upper Norwood, Croydon SE25 4AU

What: Everyone is invited to join in with a fun afternoon of activities including giant games, Dr. Bike, bike try outs and a pop up community garden.

Visit https://wp.croydon.gov.uk/newsroom/celebrate-world-car-free-day-by-joining-town-centre-play-street/ for further details.

Free community event featuring the successful Soundbite festival and Play Streets. Come along to Dean Gardens, Leeland Terrace to celebrate healthy living and discover:

  • live music, theatre and art
  • food
  • fitness sessions

You will also have the opportunity to give your feedback on Live West Ealing proposals.

Visit https://www.soundbitefestival.org for further details.

Stoke Newington Church Street will go car-free on Sunday 22 September allowing residents, businesses and visitors to imagine what the street could look like with fewer vehicles. There will be places to shop, sit and play on the street as well as car-free activities such as cargo bike trials and Dr Bike checks.

Visit https://www3.hackney.gov.uk/car-free-day for further details.

To celebrate London Car Free Day, there will be an Autumn festival on North End Road, Fulham, SW6. Expect live music, street entertainment, traffic-free shopping, 150+ stalls, ethical pop-ups, food, drink and more. Note: This event will be held on Saturday 21 September.

Haringey will be hosting two car-free day events:

Picnic & Play in Middle Lane, N8 8NU (12 noon to 4pm) - To celebrate car free day Haringey is reclaiming part of Middle Lane from through traffic and turning it into a street of play! Bring your friends and family. There will be a picnic area, fun play activities for children and space to socialise and rest in. Visit https://www.haringey.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/travel/smarter-travel for further details.

Tottenham Green Market (10am to 4pm) - Car Free Day and Food and Drink Festival. This regular market is closing Town Hall Approach Road to allow the market to expand and include the Food Drink and Car Free Day festival to take place. Further details available here https://www.tottenhamgreenmarket.co.uk/haringey-food-drink-festival-2019/.

Come along to Greenhill Way (between Havelock Place and St George's shopping centre) on Sunday 22 September 2019, between 11am and 4pm. You will experience an afternoon of market stalls, fun activities, NHS stalls and cycle training for adults and children. Visit the Harrow website for further details.

Come along and participate in one big Play Street in Clerkenwell. A section of St John Street between Clerkenwell Road and Charterhouse Street will be shut to traffic and will be open for the whole borough to enjoy between 11am and 4pm.

There will be games and activities including mini tennis, kids cycle training, art workshops, face painting, pottery, the Little Angel Theatre plus lots of local information for families. You’ll also find a picnic space and the play area where kids can run (and scoot) free!

Golborne Road (between Portobello Road and Wornington Road) Join us at Golborne Road (between Portobello Road and Wornington Road) from 12pm-6pm for a host of activities, including a solar powered silent movie screening, space hopper race, smoothie bike, arts, crafts and gardening activities, and much more. The full programme will be soon be published on the Westway Trust website.

Exhibition Road will be closed to host the finale of the London Design Festival. The V&A, together with the Design Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Imperial College London, and Brompton Design District, will be hosting this special event focusing on design solutions to the climate emergency. Visit the V&A website for more information about what’s happening on the day.

Pavilion Road Step off Sloane Square to discover the delights of Pavilion Road where artisan food, beauty, fashion and restaurants create a true village feel. Visit https://www.cadogan.co.uk/destination/pavilion-road/ for more information.

Kingston is celebrating across the borough with street parties, tree trails, guided walks and bike rides to help improve air quality and tackle climate change.

To find out more visit https://www.kingston.gov.uk/carfreeday or to sign up to the led walks and bike rides visit https://kingstonletstalk.co.uk/car-free-day-2019.

From 11:30am to 3:30pm, the bus-stand area outside Morden tube station will be transformed into a Play Street with attractions such as a “pedal and make your own” Smoothie Bike, a bouncy castle, music and more! For further information visit https://www.merton.gov.uk/communities-and-neighbourhoods/events/events-calendar/Detail?ID=906

There will be a number of events across the borough to celebrate London Car Free Day. Activities include traditional street games, face painting, community art projects, music and entertainment, bike repairs, penalty shoot outs, engaging air pollution activities, as well as greening and planting.

Visit https://www.newham.gov.uk/Pages/ServiceChild/World-Car-Free-Day.aspx for further details.

Tower Hamlets Council is supporting London Car Free Day by holding a community event on the iconic Roman Road. It will be closed to traffic between midday and 5pm, with a wide range of activities available for people to enjoy including street games, all-ability cycling sessions and free bike servicing. There will also be an area for people to sit, relax and socialise between activities.

Walk, scoot, or cycle over to Hoe Street to join Waltham Forest’s largest ever street party! The road will be closed to traffic between 11am and 4pm, and will host fun family activities, live performances and garden games. Local businesses will be getting involved too by expanding onto the street and offering more food, drinks, crafts and gifts to enjoy.

Look out for market stalls, live performances, street games, free bike maintenance with Dr Bike, second-hand bike market and sustainable crafts and activities.

Visit https://walthamforest.gov.uk/content/walk-in-stow for further details.

Celebrate Car Free Day in Earlsfield! Join us from 12pm-4pm at our community day. There will be Street Play on Trewint Street, cycling and darts competitions at the Earlsfield Pub, pop up Cremoloso at the Earlsfield Pub, meet your local ward police officers and bike marking, and stalls and café seating from local businesses. Plus learn about Wandsworth Living Streets and their campaign for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

Connaught Village Imagines

Closing the street to traffic, this family-friendly street event will take place between 12-5pm in Connaught Village, near Hyde Park. Visitors can celebrate all things nature in the heart of the city with a day of fun-filled free activities and workshops.

Activities on offer include bird feeder-making workshops, craft flower and plant workshops, pony rides for the little ones courtesy of Hyde Park Stables, and the opportunity to chat with a local bee keeper.

Whether guests have their own pooch or not, London Dog Week will be bringing ‘The Cuddle Club’ to the village, allowing animal lovers to pet some pooches. Petal Parlour are offering free petal face painting with dried flowers and glitter throughout the day. For a spot of culture, the Connaught Village Art Tour will be supplying a free rickshaw to chauffeur guests to the renowned galleries in the area.

For further information visit www.connaught-village.co.uk/imagines.

Regent Street

The Crown Estate is inviting visitors to enjoy a traffic free Regent Street. The length of Regent Street, from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus, will be closed to all traffic from 7am to 8pm, with shops opening 12pm-6pm. This will give visitors a wonderful opportunity to enjoy this iconic shopping street without traffic. Regent Street will be providing zones for visitors to stop, relax and enjoy the car free environment, with deck chairs and greenery located throughout the street.

More information

For help getting around on the day, or for more information on what’s on, download the free Visit London app (official guide).

Not sure what to bring or where to go on the day? Check out the FAQs for answers to all your questions.

Five free Thames Water refill points will be available across the Reimagine event area so visitors can help protect the planet from pointless plastic waste.

For travel information, visit www.tfl.gov.uk/car-free-day

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