Car-free, more livable cities

Here are 3 cities that have banned cars with amazing results.

  • Ljubljana, Slovenia – The streets in this city are filled with chatting pedestrians rather than traffic. If you live in the centre, you must park in a garage outside the car-free area. And if you’re elderly, disabled or a mother with children, you get free rides in electric taxis. Business and tourism have increased since the ban more than 10 years ago.
  • Pontevedra, Spain – This city banned cars 19 years ago. 70% of trips in the town are now on foot. And because the town is more livable, 12,000 people have moved into the centre. And air pollution has decreased by 61% since 2013.
  • Copenhagen – This city has over 96,000 square metres of car-free space. Two thirds of people commute by bike. And from 2019, it plans to ban new diesel cars to make its air even cleaner.

Our cities here in Australia should adapt this wonderful initiative. What do you reckon?