Parklets help to transform city streets

Studies have shown that restaurants and bars can see see their turnover boosted by up to 30 per cent after installing a parklet. Not only that, but per square metre, cycle parking delivers 5 times higher retail spend than the same area of car parking.

Good news then for The Cut, a busy B-road in London’s Lambeth that’s being transformed into a cyclist and pedestrian friendly space that’s also of benefit to local businesses.

Lambeth Council’s scheme to provide safe, low-traffic routes for cyclists was designed and installed by Cyclehoop. Local businesses and the wider community now benefit from new public seating and planters.

What is a parklet?

Parklets are pocket parks – car-sized spaces that help promote active travel, support local businesses and help reduce road danger.  1970s San Francisco was the birthplace of the concept and  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. Parklets are now popping up in towns and cities around the country as community groups and local authorities encourage us all to challenge the car’s dominance of public space.

We even designed our own interpretation of the parklet. We christened it a pedlet because it can be towed into place using an electric cargo trike. Once installed, it 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.