The city of Zermatt, Switzerland, has no cars. Difficult to reach, locals and visitors must park in the next town across and take an Alpine train to get there. Post, deliveries, police and taxis are all milkfloat-style electric vans. Walking, cycling and, in the winter months, skiing are commonplace, while private vehicles are not allowed. Indeed, anyone wanting to use a milkfloat van for their own business must make their case to the city authorities. The result is an eerily quiet oasis in the Swiss Alps, without the constant rumble of traffic.
I was thinking of Zermatt recently as I fought my way - by bicycle - through Epsom towards ‘Global Cement Towers.’ There are big red buses, speeding van drivers, distracted commuters and pedestrians attempting to cross three live lanes of traffic while checking their phones. It is a miracle that there are not more accidents. One junction in particular really irks me. In the UK, which last planned towns in any meaningful way in the 1960s, it is an environment literally built for the car. The end of the High Street itself has no fewer than five lanes for vehicles, while East Street has four and Upper High Street and Church Street each have three. The whole thing is a huge mess and to say that cyclists must have their ‘wits about them’ is an understatement. Pedestrians are at least segregated from the road, but it can take an age to cross, leading to lots of risky crossings.
Apologies for the rant, but it is important to highlight just how poorly this area has been designed (or allowed to evolve) for humans to inhabit. In Zermatt, this area would be a car-free meeting point to enjoy a coffee or sit on a bench under a tree. In many continental European towns there would be a dedicated bus lane / tram line, cycle and walking spaces and far less space dedicated to private cars. The area would be far more efficient, less polluted and generally far more pleasant.
But even Amsterdam ‘wasn’t always Amsterdam.’ People often think that there are lots of cycle lanes in the Netherlands because it is flat and people liked to cycle there. But two photographs of an Amsterdam street nearly 50 years apart, tells a different story. There are lots of cycle trips today precisely because good cycling infrastructure has been provided. It has taken time, yes, but cars are simply no longer a good way of getting around. Their absence offers an even greater incentive to use other methods. A virtuous circle.
Unfortunately, there appears to be little impetus for this approach elsewhere, as many governments are interested in quick fixes. This extends even to the switch to EVs (...and we can debate their ‘environmental credentials’ at a later date). A car is a car, whether powered by petrol, diesel or lithium ions. They take up lots of urban space and being hit by them hurts.
The lack of focus on human-friendly urban environments is a big missed opportunity. They are exactly the right approach to reduce emissions and enjoy more liveable cities in a warming world. It is astounding how blinkered some people can be on this subject. As I write, there is a petition against a new cycle path in my village. It turns out that some motorists don’t even want to reverse across a cycle lane to get out of their driveway! They have a complete lack of imagination when it comes to thinking that perhaps they, their children and other local car users will use the path to shorten journey times, reduce CO2 emissions and be healthier as a result. I say, we should start somewhere. Build it... We will come!
