To think we could close some roads for one hour a week?

Ok well I didn’t think the OP was looking at it from that angle at all. She just doesn’t live near a park to take her kids cycling.

1. Loads of areas have no cycle lanes whatsoever.

1. Loads of areas are miles from a large park to cycle in.... how are people supposed to get there?

1. If you live in smaller towns or villagesoften there are no large parks suitable for cycling at all (because you live in the country right?) But the roads are completely full of horrendous pot holes :(

I'd love cycle lanes

I couldn't ride a bike apart from my breathing difficulties I live at the top of a steep hill. If I couldn't use the car I would have to stay in. As would many others.
And an electric bike isn't practical for shopping or if you need to take other people out

https://nursingnotes.co.uk/news/clinical/electric-bikes-revolutionise-the-way-district-nurses-get-around/

Not just in London either

Cheyenne said: “I love riding a bike and prefer it to using the bus or walking. It reduces the time it takes to get to my patients, and I don’t feel the weight of my rucksack because it can go into the cargo hold. It’s a great alternative to driving and reduces our carbon footprint while helping me to keep fit.”

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/news/pedal-power-guys-and-st-thomas-neighbourhood-nurses-trial-e-bikes

cars aren't always the best way for community nurses to get about

for some people with mobility challenges - a car is not a favourable as a bicycle to travel. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/jan/02/cambridge-disabled-people-cycling-rolling-walking-stick

by closing roads, it means people drive less - or thats the idea. Many people use a car for every time they step out of the house - never walking, cycling or getting the bus anywhere. The sea is to try to change peoples habits. Whilst the car is a great invention - its overused, its trying to get people to not automatically use it for every single trip

Last year, one Sunday in the summer, they stopped traffic in the centre of my town (population approx. 30,000). They created a circuit that included some of the main through-roads and a section of the park too. It was great for little kids and community morale. It's quite a quiet town though and the alternative routes weren't clogged up or tricky to use. Some drivers on the local Facebook page were a bit irritated. We need to encourage people to use their cars less and connect with each other more. This is a good way to do it, imo. I was pleased to be able to wave my seven-year-old off to cycle the mile or so alone. I knew loads of the people around about and there were more people manning the route. I think it was good for his confidence. I even let my four-year-old do it, although she was trailed by a friend's teenager.

What about people who need to get their car out of their drives? And need their cars to enable them to get out of the house. Disabled people ? People with limited mobility? What about deliveries? Community nurses who need to visit?
It isn't always possible to park somewhere else. So in effect it will mean some people won't be able to go out on those days the road is closed or have people visiting them.

I was asking why we need to close roads for cyclists etc not why we should drive less

Yet it is what some major cities are adopting, Paris, Ghent to name two - but there are more

Majority of the traffic in cities in general are pedestrians, not local driving. The dominance of cars is a just a lobby induced illusion.

So yes, it is good to take a bit of space back for living from time to time.

But why do we need to?

its poisoning us
People who are able bodied become reliant on driving everywhere
cars are anti social, they are noisy

Yes. Wildly mad. The hassle, money and organising of this isn’t worth it, ppl can cycle in parks etc. there’s many many many cycle lanes and country roads which r quieter

I don't know if this law has changed but when I arranged a street party some years ago I was told that if residents in the road needed to drive on the road we had to remove the barriers, tables etc as they had the right to do it. The only family who weren't interested in joining in were co-operative and moved their car out of the road before we set up the party.

What would worry me is having kids playing/riding bikes on this quiet road and suddenly a car quite legally drives along the road. Sort of everyone has a false sense of security, lets their guard down and an accident happens.

I'd rather see some roads made into cycle paths and then allow drivers down these roads but with a sign that states - Drivers are here by invitation, you must give priority to pedestrians and cyclists - any road or route that has an alternative major road they can or could use instead

But why do we need to?

That would be fine if there were cycle paths where I wanted to go, and if the council cleared the overhanging trees and broken glass and other obstacles on the odd one that I can use.

I've lived in Latin America for a while. All the major cities shut down their city centres every Sunday and set up safe routes in and out by closing roads for cyclists runners etc. If Mexico city, sao paulo etc can do it., the uk can

to Church
to work
to a sports competition or sports event
to medical appointments (surprising amount of medical procedures being done on a Sunday!)

the list of why you need a car is endless. Why do people think we have cars in the first place? For the fun of wasting money?

Tough luck if you want to go to church. Pesky Christians...

Yeah, sorry re the Germany thing, I did indeed go off on my own tangent.

Unfortunately there are too many people who believe that the car should take precedence over anything else

more accurately

there are people who have organised their life and driving necessities, and bought a property and cars to fit their lifestyle.

So yes, I would strongly disagree to be penalised because someone randomly decides to close my street when I need my car.

And who decides what road to close?

Who decides they just going to inconvenience some people for no reason whatseover? So I randomly couldn't use my car when I need it?

I am thinking hell no.

There are plenty of spaces for people who want to get fit by cycling. There are also plenty of spaces for families with younger children to cycle in safety. Unfortunately you don’t live near a park, or have a car? But we do not need to over cater for these groups by closing roads. That’s utter madness.