Coronavirus car-free zones introduced in London, Manchester and Brighton
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
car-free zones are now being introduced in both Brighton and London to give cyclists and pedestrians exclusive access to roads.
The move to allow people to socially distance comes as Stephen Edwards, director of policy and communications at Living Streets, a charity that promotes walking, said that people trying to keep two metres apart has shown how small some of the UK's footways are.
Councils are also considering closing off entire streets to stop them turning into rat runs for vehicles.
London, Manchester and Brighton were among the first to propose the converting of roads into temporary bike lanes, although it is likely that other cities will follow suit.
The Times has reported a sharp drop in the number of vehicles on the road during lockdown, with up to a 75 per cent decline.
Hackney Council in East London is planning to use plants and bollards on certain streets to create cycling lanes but claims it will keep access for emergency vehicles.
Brighton has also confirmed that it is planning to bring in car-free streets similar to those in Berlin, Mexico City and Bogota.
Tib Street in central Manchester is already closed off from cars and two temporary cycles or running lines have been created.
Hackney, Manchester and Brighton and Hove councils have not confirmed which other roads will be closed to vehicles.