How children lost the right to roam

This UK news report - 'How children lost the right to roam in four generations' - discusses the declining mobility of children in cities and suburbs. Included is a useful map of the wondering space of children over three generations, showiing that its gone down from about 6 miles in the early 1900s to about 300 meters today!

When George Thomas was eight he walked everywhere.

It was 1926 and his parents were unable to afford the fare for a tram, let alone the cost of a bike and he regularly walked six miles to his favourite fishing haunt without adult supervision.

Fast forward to 2007 and Mr Thomas's eight-year-old great-grandson Edward enjoys none of that freedom.

He is driven the few minutes to school, is taken by car to a safe place to ride his bike and can roam no more than 300 yards from home.

(Image care of The Daily Mail)

--