Should cars be banned in cities?

I believe cities should be car-free because pollution needs to be stopped! Air pollution is
destroying our Earth. Cars are powered by gasoline, and the vapors that gas gives off contribute
to this pollution. Some people overuse cars. They choose to drive when their destination is only a
block away. We can use different forms of transportation instead, such as bicycles and buses. It
will help you in Cultivating a Culture of Happiness. The happiness factor had to do a lot with
exercise which we can do using bicycle. Those traveling cities by foot or bike will also
experience significant benefits to their physical fitness. Improvements include a reduction of the
stress hormone, and a boost in immunity. Exercising before work, whether by foot or pedal
power, helps improve focus, clarity, and creativity. By taking as much as 25 minutes out of your
day and dedicating it to aerobic exercise, the time away from the pressures of your work “to-do”
list will boost creative thinking and clarity on what is important now. Leaving the personal car at
home, and embracing walking or biking about town as an alternative transportation method
increases the likelihood that you’ll soon be socializing with your neighbors and friends along
your chosen route. After nearly 50 years of centralizing automobiles in urban centers, city
planners are now designing “complete streets” that include protected bike lanes. Including
dedicated bike lanes in street redesigns greatly boosts retail performance for local businesses.
Limited cars and protected bicycle lanes makes traveling by foot much safer. This is because the
distance to cross a street is shortened for pedestrians to make a safe crossing at an intersection
due to the addition of bicycle lanes on both sides of the street. Funding, designing, and
constructing complete streets inclusive of protected bicycle lanes will result in reducing traffic
congestion. More bike lanes translate to less automobiles taking up valuable street space, which
translates into more buses, freight, and essential vehicles capable of more easily accessing the
road.

One proposal that I found interesting and easily doable, is the ‘Green Route;’ not bike route,
though big routes do help. These routes are usually old, narrower, ‘cart paths’ and alleys that
travel straight and long like a regular roadway, have been smoothed and paved, have signaling
and lighting and overpasses and tunnels, and are designated as ‘right-of-ways’ for pedestrians,
bicycles and SLOW electric scooters/bikes/boards; with bollards set to keep larger/faster
vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, etc.) out of the designated areas.

These ‘Green Routes’ afford less conflict between slow and fast transport/people, a less
‘smoggy’ atmosphere, and has opened the way for some businesses to provide for ‘back door’
patios and pedestrian access, away from traffic.

So, while it may seem like a pipe dream to ban personal cars in major cities worldwide, the
personal and economic incentives are certainly compelling. What is good for personal and
business gains in this instance is even better for the planet. Banning personal cars in city-centers
results in less carbon emissions, which can significantly improve our chances of limiting the
devastation of what we know, is the inevitable if we fail to take reasoned action against climate
change.

RESOURCE:

Should cars be banned in city centers? (n.d) Retrieved from

https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-cars-be-banned-in-city-centres