Car free Day

Car Free Day in Hastings, 2019

Hastings’s first Car Free Day took place on Global Car Free Day, on 22 September 2019. I was the lead project manager and main point of contact with the local council and other stakeholders.

The event was an opportunity to work with the local community to put into practice a variety of ideas: public participation in public space, reclaiming space, attempting to challenge the current system and create a space for discussion and shared visions of the future. The working group wanted to challenge the ‘normal’ of a busy seafront road.

The design and management of the event happened under a tight schedule and in a fairly organic way. It required much support from the community, including groups like Hastings Urban Design, Hastings Borough Bonfire Society, Hastings Urban Bikes and Bike Lab and the Source Park (a huge indoor BMX park). Sustrans, the national sustainable transport agency, were also active participants in the project delivery. The event relied heavily on the work of an enthusiatic group of volunteers and built stronger relationships with the local council, with the leader of the council running his own activity on the day.

Outcomes included positive emotions, a transformative environment, collaborative working, genuine enthusiasm and hard work from those involved.

During the event visitors were asked what they liked the most about Car Free Day. Overall the simple act of being able to be on the road without noise or pollution was the thing people liked the most.43% expressed how much they liked the road being car free, noise free and pollution free, 22% enjoyed simply watching others enjoy themselves and 22% liked watching the young people enjoying cycling and doing wheelies.

Part of SOS 2019

Press Release

Flickr album