Some streets will become car free for certain times of the day to allow children to play outside their homes.

Redbridge Council introduced the Play Streets scheme as a pilot earlier in the year and has decided to roll it out formally due to its popularity.

Cabinet member for civic pride Cllr John Howard said: “The feedback has been positive, we have seen this work in other boroughs, such as Hackney which has a really good green streets campaign.

“It gets the whole street out, a whole mix of the community; you can talk to your neighbours and get to know the people living around you like you would not have before.

“It is a chance to reclaim the roads back from traffic and it has been popular all over the borough, I do not think there has been anywhere it has not been well received.”

Roads in Gants Hill, Barkingside and all over the borough have taken part in the pilot and the cabinet member explained the cost to the council to run the scheme is minimal.

The plan is to roll the Play Streets scheme out on a quarterly basis and the council is encouraging people to apply to make their street part of the initiative.

Cllr Howard, who represents Aldborough ward, added: “I would encourage everyone to have a look, it is a great way to meet people and a chance to take back the streets for everyone.”

The scheme is led by those living in the borough and neighbours must apply to organise temporary road closures.

The next round of applications is currently open and closes on February 1 2019.

To run your own Play Street in March, April or May 2019, submit an application to rawnak.jassm@redbridge.gov.uk.

You must be able to prove local residents and businesses are in support of your play street and to do this the council have provided a simple form for interested residents to sign.