The Facts
⚠️ Over half of young Londoners don’t meet recommended activity levels, with lower-income communities disproportionately impacted by restricted access to sport, play and physical activity.
⚠️ Over 7,000 ‘No Ball Games’ signs remain across London alone — limiting play, movement, and opportunity for over 560,000 children and young people in the capital!
⚠️ Every ‘No Ball Games’ sign removed helps 80 children be more active and play outside.
This isn’t just about sport – it’s about tackling individual and systemic barriers to physical activity and play. Removing these signs is just the first step. We must drive a culture shift that places play, sport and movement at the heart of healthy childhoods, thriving communities, and public wellbeing. Play is not a luxury—it is a necessity for every child’s development, happiness, and future success.
Reimagine London’s spaces
As highlighted in our manifesto ahead of the local elections, London must reimagine how space is used to support physical activity.
We cannot build enough new facilities to meet future demand. Instead, we must:
- Unlock underused and overlooked spaces
- Enable activity close to where people live
- Design environments that encourage movement as part of everyday life
Removing “No Ball Games” signs is one practical, visible step, but it sits within a wider ambition to activate non-traditional spaces across the city.
From estates and high streets to community hubs and public realm, these spaces can:
- Provide hyper-local opportunities to be active
- Reduce pressure on oversubscribed facilities
- Increase inclusion, particularly in dense urban areas
- Support stronger, more connected communities
Work With London Sport
We are working with a growing number of London boroughs to take forward this approach, supporting them with insight, tools and practical delivery.
Together, we can move beyond a system that restricts activity, toward one that enables it.
Because in a city like London, where space is limited, how we use it matters.
And where a child lives should never determine whether they have the opportunity to play, be active and thrive. We need to do better.
Resources
We are calling on policymakers and decision-makers in London and the UK, local authorities and housing associations to take down ‘No Ball Games’ signs, reimagine public spaces, and engage in the debate and commit to removing systemic barriers.