Cities should be filled with people walking, bicycle riding and enjoying being outdoors free of blaring car horns or fear of being run down by motorbikes or cars. The quality of life in city centres would be so much better if they were car-free and people can freely play online slots while relaxing on the streets.
Some city centres lend themselves naturally to being car-free like Venice, Italy where the main form of transportation is the water buses that travel the city’s canals or medieval towns where the streets are too narrow for cars.
Other cities have been going car-free in city centres, or on alternate days, or just taking it slow by reducing cars in increments. Cities that are going car-free are reducing their carbon footprint, improving air quality and the health of the people who live and work in them.
There doesn’t seem to be any downside as long as there is a corresponding increase in public transportation and bicycle paths. In this article curated by experts from best Australian online casinos, we will be looking at some European cities that are car-free.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid, Spain’s capital, banned all non-resident cars from driving anywhere in the city centre. It started slowly but will be fully operational in February 2019, according to El Diario. Only vehicles that belong to residents, zero-emissions delivery vehicles, taxis, and public transportation will be allowed.
The city set up its first pedestrian-only zone in 2005 in the Las Letras neighbourhood and has been steadily moving forward. Madrid plans to ban cars entirely from 500 acres in its city centre by 2020 and is redesigning 24 of its city centre streets for easy walking.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is home to the largest car-free zone in Europe. Beginning in the 1960s, Denmark’s capital pioneered pedestrian-only zones and the city now has more than 321 kilometres of bike routes. Over half of the people in Copenhagen ride bicycles to work by design.
Denmark is planning on building a superhighway of 28 routes for bikes that will connect the city to its surrounding suburban areas. The first of the routes opened in 2014. Copenhagen has pledged to be completely carbon neutral by 2015 and reducing cars is the way to go.
Brussels, Belgium
Brussels, Belgium’s capital, has always had pedestrian-only streets surrounding its city square, stock exchange, and Rue Neuve (shopping street) making it the second largest car-free zone in Europe and the city is planning on expanding the area. In 2002, Brussels launched its first mobility week to encourage using public transportation and one day every September, all private vehicles are banned altogether.
Oslo, Norway
Oslo will completely ban cars from its city centre by 2019. This is six years before Norway is implementing a country-wide ban. The capital city is investing in improving public transportation and more than 56 kilometres of roads will be replaced by bike lanes. Oslo will become substantially greener and healthier.
Hamburg, Germany
The German city is planning on making walking and biking the dominant form of transportation by reducing the number of cars allowed in specific areas of the city by 2035. The project calls for a Grünes Netz – a green network – of places that people can access without cars that will encompass 40 per cent of Hamburg. The green network will include parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and cemeteries and will greatly enhance the quality of life for city dwellers.
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