Over the last few decades our town and city centres, depending on where you live in the world have been overrun by larger, heavier and faster cars and usually very unsuited for where they are being driven. The cities have been taken over by those healthy enough and old enough to drive and not too old not to be able to drive. This has been to the detriment of everyone else in terms of their health and their safety. Take for example the British mini that rolled around London streets in the 60s, 70s and 80s and compare it to the rather larger vehicle that bears the name today. Going back the SUVs and blingmobiles of those trying to show how important they are just didn’t exist or if they did in far fewer numbers. Thankfully some forward cities are making plans to make them liveable spaces for everyone again where they become green, clean and safe for old and young, pedestrians, cyclists and all forms of public transport users. Barcelona is one such city and it is building what are called Superblocks where it joins several blocks together and only essential vehicles can enter at slow speeds Superblocks plan. In this scenario private cars still exist and are parked underground whereas for a sustainable future they will need to be replaced by shareable vehicles such as the Twizzy for short town and city journeys if not using the other forms of public transport.
Paul Noël 