Most of us who live in cities become blind to the endless rows of cars parked along every street – immune to the visual clutter and numb to the road danger to which they contribute. We forget that the streets on which we live are for people first. However, there are those who make a stand.
Environmental campaigner and supporter of the organisation Living Streets, Brenda Puech single-handedly changed her area of London by transforming parking bays into parklets – miniature areas of green space.
Hackney Council forced Brenda to dismantle her first parklet, but such was the positive reaction to its installation from locals that they agreed to a meeting with her…and a change of heart followed. The council agree to fund a series of parklets and Brenda founded The Parklets Campaign – a now annual pop-up parklet event, which for the first time this year is UK-wide.
We designed a pedal-powered parklet
Parklets are popping up in cities around the country as community groups and local authorities encourage us all to challenge the car’s dominance of public space.
The first one-day parklet was created in 2005 when a group fed a parking meter with coins, rolled out a length of turf and installed a potted tree. We developed the idea further by building a powered parklet. It can be towed into place using an electric cargo trike and once installed, provides visitors with a place to sit, free WiFi and birdsong played through a small wooden bird box.
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
Pete
Great Idea