Children in a Kirkcaldy neighbourhood were able to play on the road after it was closed temporarily thanks to the Play Streets initiative. Hamish McDowall, 6, took to his scooter. Picture by Steve Brown.

Six-year-old Niamh Williamson and Abbie Fairful, 10, were among children treated to a now rare freedom taken for granted by generations before – playing in the streets.

They and other children from their Kirkcaldy neighbourhood skipped, kicked balls and played with scooters and go-karts in their street when it was closed temporarily to vehicles thanks to the Play Streets initiative.

For two hours on Saturday through-traffic was banned from part of Milton Road to allow local youngsters to play safely outside their homes as their parents and grandparents might have.

Supported by charity Greener Kirkcaldy, local parents brought the national movement launched by two parents in Bristol 12 years ago to Fife for the first time.

Minister Justin Taylor, who lives on Milton Road with wife Lesley and children Francis, 2, and sixmonth-old Joy, knocked on his neighbours’ doors to drum up support after learning about the scheme through Greener Kirkcaldy.

He said the event went even better than could be expected, with around 40 children out playing and adult neighbours of all ages chatting.

He said: “It was lovely to see children playing in the streets again and just enjoying themselves, feeling safe and knowing there weren’t any cars around. The other side was just getting to know our neighbours.”

Even before the afternoon was over people were asking when they could do it again, he said.

“I think it has changed the street a little bit to a more welcoming community.

“We had young families, people in their retirement and one lady who’s probably in her early 90s.

“There was a broad spectrum of generations and people.”

This was just the sense of community Bristol parents Amy Rose and Alice

Ferguson hoped for when they launched Play Streets in 2009, frustrated that their children could not play outside like generations before.

Amy and Alice now run Playing Out as a community interest company (CIC) with the aim of making playing out near home the normal, everyday part of childhood it once was and creating streets where communities rather than traffic come first.

It was a presentation by a Playing Out representative hosted by Greener Kirkcaldy earlier this year that led to the Kirkcaldy event.

The group supported Milton Road residents in seeking permission from Fife Council for the temporary road closure, which maintained vehicular access for residents.

They would love to see Play Streets become more widespread, and Greener Kirkcaldy would support residents elsewhere in the town who want to try it.

JUMP UP : Play Streets close streets for children to play. Picture by Steve Brown.