Paris to ban auto traffic on 09/27

[kamnet]

Interesting experiment for a major world capital. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ceciliarodr ... -in-paris/

[Dave]

Hoping this will catch on. There is absolutely no need for a private car to be driving through the centre of a city unless it belongs to someone who lives there.

Banning private cars in the London congestion charge zone (unless owned by a resident) would be fantastic. It'd cost TfL a lot of money though...!

[Kevo00]

Got to agree, this is a great idea.

[Wahazar]

Beijing with banned car traffic (and nearby industry closed) and one day after:


By the way, I have idea for openttd - overall city pollution index, calculated as ratio of total area to stations coverage and multiplied by population, used for changing company rating (assume, that area without station coverage generate individual car traffic).

[FooBar]

No offence, but that's not 1 day after. More like 150 days after. But the difference in air quality is like day and night for sure. Glad I don't live there.

[Pyoro]

During the 70s oil crisis Germany had 4 no-car sundays. Can't beat having no car traffic in an entire country It's still a thing for local communities; sometimes even motorways, although that's rare.

According to wiki Paris has a regular carfree program, too - no cars on the right side of the Seine on weekends and in August. Well, I think it's generally agreed that something needs to be done to reduce traffic just about everywhere, so I guess that kind of thing makes sense.

[doktorhonig]

Ha, in Austria we could choose a car-free weekday. It's a rather useless way to reduce oil consumption, but a nice way to reduce traffic.

[Chrill]

Stockholm had this the other weekend. It was very low on publicity. Strange. I am fully in support of banning private vehicles from various central areas. They need not drive there.

[Dave]

Was nearly hoiked off my bike today by a snarling woman in a s**tty old Skoda. I was trying to (slowly and carefully) find my way amongst stationary traffic (as I am perfectly entitled to if safe to do so) and she came in far too fast. Luckily I jumped the bike sideways.

Why was she there? She didn't need to be on Holborn Circus (the very centre of London, essentially) did she? No car journey by car across London is quicker than public transport - I'd posit that 99% are at least 50% longer.

[FLHerne]

Oslo plans to introduce a permanent ban across the city centre. Hopefully this will set a precedent.

ArsTechnica article.

[orudge]

Why was she there? She didn't need to be on Holborn Circus (the very centre of London, essentially) did she? No car journey by car across London is quicker than public transport - I'd posit that 99% are at least 50% longer.

I would generally agree with your point - for general "getting places", driving in central London is pretty stupid. But could she have been carrying lots of heavy luggage or something in the car? Or could she have lived in central London and be driving somewhere outside of London?

I have no desire to drive in London - driving in Aberdeen is bad enough!

[Ameecher]

Why was she there? She didn't need to be on Holborn Circus (the very centre of London, essentially) did she? No car journey by car across London is quicker than public transport - I'd posit that 99% are at least 50% longer.

I would generally agree with your point - for general "getting places", driving in central London is pretty stupid. But could she have been carrying lots of heavy luggage or something in the car? Or could she have lived in central London and be driving somewhere outside of London?

I have no desire to drive in London - driving in Aberdeen is bad enough!

Aberdeen is by far the worst place for traffic I have ever driven. It's ridiculous.

[Dave]

Why was she there? She didn't need to be on Holborn Circus (the very centre of London, essentially) did she? No car journey by car across London is quicker than public transport - I'd posit that 99% are at least 50% longer.

I would generally agree with your point - for general "getting places", driving in central London is pretty stupid. But could she have been carrying lots of heavy luggage or something in the car? Or could she have lived in central London and be driving somewhere outside of London?

I have no desire to drive in London - driving in Aberdeen is bad enough!

I'll give you that - but you don't live in the congestion charge zone and drive a clapped out Skoda!

[JamieLei]

Interesting cultural elements to refusal to take public transport, that we look at extensively.

Some groups simply won't; amongst the Mercedes and Jags, you'll often find tired people carriers as entire extended families make a day trip out to central London. Also if you have small kids (emphasis on the plural here), taking public transport truly is a faff, compared to belting them up in child seats and momentarilly not having to worry about their safety for a good half an hour of driving.

It's not all about the time!

[Kevo00]

Surely driving in Central London with multiple small kids in the car is not going to work well?

[Dave]

No way am I accepting that finding for London. I'll accept it about other large cities but not London.

Show me the figures.