The War on Cars Cities for Children with Tim Gill
Sep 30, 2025
Tim Gill, a London-based scholar and advocate for children's mobility, discusses the dire state of children's physical and mental health due to restricted outdoor freedoms. He emphasizes that playgrounds alone aren't enough and calls for vibrant, play-friendly neighborhoods. Tim champions the concept of doorstep play, arguing for spaces reclaimed from cars. He shares innovative examples like Vauban’s car-free design and Rotterdam's family-focused transformations. Framing child-friendly cities as climate action, he proposes practical steps to restore children’s outdoor experiences.
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Beyond Playgrounds
- Playgrounds are often presented as the default solution but they segregate children from the rest of the city.
- Tim Gill argues true child-friendly cities let children roam the whole neighbourhood, not just fenced play areas.
The Power Of Doorstep Play
- 'Doorstep play' means children step outside their front door and immediately find safe, shared spaces to play.
- Gill uses this as a compass for reconfiguring neighbourhoods so cars do not occupy front-door public space.
Vauban: A Car‑Free Neighborhood
- Vauban in Freiburg is effectively car-free with car barns at the edge and high parking costs for residents.
- The neighbourhood's shared streets and green space create abundant doorstep play and visible children playing throughout.
