This year's Car Free Day is coming up in High Street, Croydon next month and will be preceded tomorrow (August 22) by an evening of volunteer recruitment.

Car Free Day is designed to get people thinking about car use and its effect on urban quality of life.

Held on September 22 each year throughout the EU, the event aims to promote ways of getting around town without a car, such as public transport, walking and cycling.

In mainland Europe, Car Free Day has been well established for a number of years and some member states close entire towns to cars throughout the day.

In Britain, the day started last year, with popular and successful street closure events being held in several London boroughs.

Last year Croydon held an event for the first time, organised by Croydon Cycling Campaign.

This year the Council has taken over the event and moved it into High Street from Fell Road.

The main 2002 event will be held in High Street, outside the Grants development, which will be designated a no-go zone to cars on Sunday, September 22 between 10am and 4pm.

A fleet of weird and wonderful cycles have been provided through vintage experts Company of Cyclists and will be available for trying out.

Tomorrow's open meeting for anyone interested in volunteering will be held in Room G8 at Croydon Town Hall, Katharine Street, from 6.30pm.

The job is unpaid, can be for the whole day or just a few hours and volunteers will be given a free Car Free Day T-shirt as a memento of the day.

Croydon's cabinet member for highways, transport and public services, Councillor Gerry Ryan, said: "I think the idea of a Car Free Day is great. There will be lots of information available for anyone interested in alternative ways of getting about.

"We need people to become stewards to make sure the day goes smoothly.

"Even if you can only give a few hours of your time it would be greatly appreciated and as a small thank you for donating your time, you will get a free T-shirt and, of course, the thrill of participating in Car Free Day."

For more information visit www.croydon-lcc.org.uk/carfreeday