Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Many attempts have been also made to revitalize the major focal points in and
around the central city, especially the public squares that are basic elements in most
historic European urban places, but were often forgotten as an essential element
in city life when most North American cities were built. The renewal has been
achieved by cleaning and refurbishing the squares and buildings, providing more
seating areas, and making them multifunctional by day or by season—such as with
local markets in the mornings, perhaps allowing parts to provide additional park-
ing in afternoons, and by using them as concert areas at night, or as festival centres
at particular times of the year. The regeneration of these areas, like pedestrianized
streets, need to be complemented by efficient daily cleaning systems to remove
the litter generated from both the high flows of people, and rubbish from the many
commercial premises, as well as by improved security through appropriate policing.
Few of these pedestrian streets can operate without some vehicular traffic. Goods
deliveries to the stores have to be made, usually by providing access to trucks only
in the early morning or evening. The use of these areas is also improved by having
regular bus services on their edges, while underground rapid transit routes often run
under them, with stations under major squares.
The problem of accommodating parking is a constant problem for central and
inner city areas. In some renovated cities residential areas near city centres still
have their own car spaces, but they are organized as separate traffic pods, having
access from major roads outside the central area, but without through routes that
would enable traffic to cut through the housing area. In many Spanish towns and
cities, car parks have been developed under many historic city squares, or under
promenades in coastal locations in Galicia, which preserves the ground level ar-
eas for pedestrian use. Some, like Copenhagen, instituted a system that gradually
reduced the number of spaces annually to encourage greater use of green mobility
solutions such as bicycles. Most others have created new park-and-ride parking
areas outside the city centre, with regular and free bus services to move people
into and out of the centre. Although parking structures have also been added on
the edge of commercial areas, or in underground locations, many of those devel-
oped have a poor reputation, especially in British cities. They frequently have
narrow car stall spaces for cars, are low ceilinged, ill-lit, and contain depressing
and dark concrete interiors and minimal security. They have created a threatening,
if not a crime-prone environment that inhibits use, especially by older people, and
at night.
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Eco-Towns
Western urban history is littered with examples of new towns being built according
to new principles of the times, from Greek colonies and Roman towns to medieval
bastides, through the model cities of the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution, to
Howard's Garden Cities and British post-war New Towns. But despite the increas-
ing application of many new sustainable principles being used in existing settle-
ments, or in parts within them—as seen in the so-called 'low car (bon) communities'
