MOD003325 - Car-Free City Centers: Social, Environmental Impacts

This report explores the social and environmental impacts of implementing car-free zones in city centers. It analyzes business impacts, including effects on employment and taxpayer costs, and environmental impacts such as carbon footprint reduction and pollution levels. The report also examines social impacts, focusing on public response, demographic changes, and crime rates. The findings suggest that while car-free cities offer significant environmental benefits and promote physical activity, they may also pose challenges for businesses and certain demographics. Recommendations include implementing redevelopment schemes and promoting public transport to maximize the benefits of car-free initiatives.

City center car free

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The present study main aim is to determine the impact of making a city center car free in
term of social and environmental. The key findings reflected that there are positive impact over
environment because it minimize the level of noise pollution and also people make themselves
adjusted to accept the changing climate. In addition to this, in term of social impact, it reflected
that people share their positive response to have a car free cities. Also, change in demographic
characteristic, individual can adjust the same to help government to make a city car free.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
ANALYSIS......................................................................................................................................4
Business impacts..........................................................................................................................4
Environmental Impacts................................................................................................................5
Social Impacts..............................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
Recommendations........................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
A car-free city is a population center which is completely relies upon the public transport,
walking or cycling in the urban areas. Or else, the districts where motorized vehicles are strictly
prohibited are known as car-free zones. The biggest benefit of such cities or district is related to
pollution because due to restriction in car, environment will be clean. Thus, the present study
shed a light upon countries which is car free and the advantages of using the same. In order to
make a country car- free, there are different stakeholders involved which are government,
people, automobile makers etc. For example, a tender is passed by government which reflected
that entire city should be free from the car and people can use public transport for their
movements. To support the same, society and citizens involved so that their city or a country free
from cars. This in turn reflected that with the participation of all stakeholders, the aim can be
fulfilled and answers can be derived effectually.
The study main aim is to understand the concept of car free cities and the benefits
involves with the same. Along with this, with the help of current report, list of cities can be
identified where personal vehicle especially cars prohibited and the rate of changes in business.
The report will describe the impact of using car free cities within a business in which cost of
taxpayer, rate of employment and impact on business. Also, it will determine the environmental
impact where it reflect the impact on city’s carbon footprint and sustainability. Moreover, study
will identify the how car free cities has a social impact in which public response to changes
determine, along with changes in crime rate and prevalent types of crime.
ANALYSIS
Business impacts
Through car free cities, business might get positive or negative impact because this have
a direct relationship with the business and these are as mentioned below:
 Impact related to employment: There are positive impact identified due to ban of cars in
cities because it increases the chance of pedestrian and cyclist that is good for business
(Szell and et.al., 2021). However, on the other side, it has been identified negative impact
on employment because majority of the cab drivers and car drivers have to lose their jobs
and that is why, it affected in negative manner. Also, it can be stated that it is not easier

for the public because banned in car does not have positive impact over the businesses.
For example, in Madrid limiting access of cars to city centre increase the spending of
customers on main shopping street that affect the business.
 Cost to taxpayer: Car free cities might limit the transport options and this affected the tax
because if people do not buy cars then they will not eligible to pay cars. This in turn
cause negative impact over the business and economy of a country. For example,
residents of car free zone in Netherlands also benefited from increase real estate values,
however the neighboring non-carefree zones have to deal with spillover due to cars that is
being unable to park in car free areas (Paijmans and Pojani, 2021). Thus, it can be stated
that due to car free cities, people living in suburbs and exurbs gain little benefits, but lose
convenient access to inner city due to redevelopment of different schemes. That is why,
the cost of taxpayer will be decrease because the demand of a product decreases. This in
turn cause negative impact over business and economy as well.
 Impact on business: There is a negative impact identified within a business because
banned in cars decreases the sales and this in turn cause negative impact over the
performance. Also, it can be stated that through car free cities in a country might have a
negative impact over business such that people tend to spend more money when they are
not looking over their shoulders for a spending cars. This decreases the production rate of
cars in that country that might cause positive impact over environment but most of the
automobile industry faces a huge loss too.
Environmental Impacts
With the help of car free cities, there will be a positive impact over an environment
because it helps to get the environment free from pollution and that is why, it assists to create
positive impact over carbon foot print. There are different areas which needs to be include that
demonstrate car free cities and its impact over environment, these are as mentioned below:
 City’s carbon footprint and sustainability: In accordance with the secondary sources, it
has been identified that with a car free cities, there will be a reduction in emission of
greenhouse gases. For example, in city center in Madrid, due to limiting the access of
cars the nitrogen oxide level fall by 38%, while carbon dioxide by 14.2%. This in turn
reflected that there will be decrease in carbon footprint that leads to provide fresh air to

inhale (Olander, 2007). Thus, it can be stated that reduce the use of cars in a city will help
to provide sustainable environment to the country and this in turn causes positive impact
as well.
 Pollution and climate: The climate of cities who are car free is different because there
will be no pollution. Also, the level of noise in such countries is low because cars are
strictly prohibited. For example, in Brussels, by implementing car free Sundays in a city
will help to reduce the level of noise pollution of 10 dB that clearly reflected it will help
to reduce the chances of pollution within cities. In addition to this, the growing impact of
climate change also force to rethink about the style through which people live and travel.
That is why, there is a need to focus upon car free cities that helps to generate effective
results in order to minimize the negative impact.
 Construction work: The environment impact of any construction work also have
positive impact due to car free cities (Nieuwenhuijsen and et.al., 2019). Such that it will
help to create positive impact because there will be no traffic jam due to prohibition and
this in turn causes direct impact over the cities. Also, it can be stated that cities like
Belgium and Kenya where cars are strictly restricted to use create a direct impact over the
construction that can be needed at a work. Also, it can be stated that with the help of this
idea, government encourage people to use public transport and this in turn also increases
the economy of a country as well.
Social Impacts
With the new concept of car free cities within a country also create positive impact upon
the individual life. However, there are some people who share negative experience because of
emergency in some areas where cars are more suitable form of transportation. Different issues
are involved in this areas which are as mentioned below:
 Public response to change: There will be positive response collected by individual
because prohibition of car in cities helps to become more physical active and that is why,
they start walking in some near-by areas that helps to improve their physical health. This
in turn also create a positive impact over the society views because it leads to enhanced
the sense of community and belongingness that is necessary among people
(Nieuwenhuijsen, 2021). That is why, car dependent societies do not free from

sociological tension and decreases public wellbeing that affected the overall lives in
negative manner.
 Changes to demographic: Each individual have their own views with regard to car free,
but majority of the young people are in favor of this because they understand the value of
environment. This in turn reflected that society are in favor of such things and due to
change in market needs, such people are adjusting accordingly. Moreover, it can be stated
that as per demographic characteristic i.e. age, gender all are in favor but the old age
group generally does not prefer to this because it affect their mental health.
 Changes in crime rate: There will be decrease in crime rate of a cities where cars are
strictly prohibited especially to kidnapping of children, females etc. It is so because they
do not have personal vehicle to perform such activities and if such performed, then public
transport used which is not possible (Brown, 2017). That is why, restricted in such cars
decreases the crime rate of a country and people can freely move. In addition to this,
Belgium is considered one of the safest country because there are fairly low rates of
crime. Also, the most common crime occur is purse snatching and pickpocketing that
does not create a major impact over other lives. So, it has reflected that due to change in
crime rate, the country’s economic rate also increases and sustain the brand image at
global level too.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that car free cities have many positive
outcomes that helps to develop an effective outcome in term of financial and non-financial. Also,
the report concluded that there is a positive impact over the environment due to use of car-free
cities such that the rates of carbon foot prints decreases and this helps to improve pollution level.
Apart from this, car free cities have a negative impact over the business because most of the
people have to lose their jobs and decreases employment rates in a country as well. In addition to
this, level of noise pollution to banned in cars in cities also reduced that helps to provide fresh air
to inhale. Moreover, with the social impact, it has been summarized that there is a positive
response collected by the people due to implement car free cities and this derive better results as
well.

Recommendations
Through the above analysis, it has been analyzed that car free cities have many benefits
in term of different ways. These are as mentioned below:
 Economic: It has been identified that there is a positive outcome of having car free cities
in the country where residents are able to benefit from an increase in green space and
raise economy. For example, residents of car free zones in Netherlands also have
benefitted from increases real estate values and as a result, it helps to improve the overall
economy of a country (Yassin, 2019). Thus, it is to be suggested to use redevelopment
schemes for central and wealthy residential areas that helps to involved in this strategy so
that effective results can be generated. This assist to create a better outcome and increase
the cost of taxpayer so that it increases the economy of a country as well.
 Individual health: It has been also analyzed from the social impact from the analysis
section that with restriction over car in cities helps to improve the physical activities
among all the individuals. This in turn provide safer area for walking to resident so that
they can enjoy the roads by watching natural beauty of own city. Moreover, it is
suggested to those cities where cars are not restricted to ban use of car at least for Sunday
that helps to let people live their own lives and interact with others on street as well. This
in turn create a positive impact over their health and generate better outcome too such
that they should not invest time on gym to become them more active.
 Benefit to society: It has been analyzed that with the help of car free cities in the country,
society is able to generate the better outcome because it provides an additional space for
shops so that people can take an advantage from such areas (Pede and Staricco, 2021).
Also, people become more creative to offer best variety of product from their shop that
aid to attract range of customers towards it. In addition to this, it can be stated that the
chances of gaining profit will be higher and derive better results as well.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brown, A. E., 2017. Car-less or car-free? Socioeconomic and mobility differences among zero-
car households. Transport Policy. 60. pp.152-159.
Nieuwenhuijsen, M. and et.al., 2019. Implementing car-free cities: rationale, requirements,
barriers and facilitators. In Integrating human health into urban and transport
Planning (pp. 199-219). Springer, Cham..
Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., 2021. New urban models for more sustainable, liveable and healthier
cities post covid19; reducing air pollution, noise and heat island effects and increasing
green space and physical activity. Environment International, p.106850.
Olander, S., 2007. Stakeholder impact analysis in construction project
management. Construction management and economics. 25(3). pp.277-287.
Paijmans, H. and Pojani, D., 2021. Living car-free by choice in a sprawling city: Desirable and…
possible?. Case Studies on Transport Policy. 9(2). pp.823-829.
Pede, E. and Staricco, L., 2021. Car sharing and socio-spatial justice: evidences from three
Italian cities. TPR: Town Planning Review. 92(4).
Szell, M. and et.al., 2021. Growing urban bicycle networks. arXiv preprint arXiv:2107.02185.
Yassin, H. H., 2019. Livable city: An approach to pedestrianization through tactical
urbanism. Alexandria Engineering Journal. 58(1). pp.251-259.