Costing the Earth

Autopia to Utopia? Car-Free Cities


Listen Later

Lockdown saw many more people jumping on bikes and walking - as much as a way to get out of the house as get around - but pollution levels dropped and nature could be heard without the background roar of traffic. Jheni Osman asks if this the way it could or should be? Has this given us a new way of thinking about how we get around and can city leaders bank on this to change the infrastructure to be 'car free'?

After 100 years of city design being built around the private car, this is a rare opportunity to bank on the behaviour change to reduce pollution, improve air quality and get more of us active. Temporary moves to give over more road space to public transport, bikes and pedestrians may give way to more permanent measures and has accelerated plans for 'Car Free Cities'. Jheni explores models that have been applied elsewhere, looks at changes coming in across Milan, Bristol and Birmingham and asks what's needed to make them work? Will we be zooming about on e-scooters and goods transported underground instead? Plans aren't without cost or controversy but is this a rare moment to make a radical change the new normal?

Presented by Jheni Osman

Produced by Anne-Marie Bullock for BBC Audio in Bristol.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Costing the EarthBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

55 ratings


More shows like Costing the Earth

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,410 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,829 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

155 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,700 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

302 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

237 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,784 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,085 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,112 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

890 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,990 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

265 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,949 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,043 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

227 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

81 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

395 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,631 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

103 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

742 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,990 Listeners

Limelight by BBC Radio 4

Limelight

257 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,152 Listeners

Rare Earth by BBC Radio 4

Rare Earth

8 Listeners

I'm ADHD! No You're Not by Dr Mine Conkbayir MBE & Paul Whitehouse

I'm ADHD! No You're Not

38 Listeners