Each year, one day is set aside to encourage everyone to avoid using cars and instead use public transport, cycle or walk. World Car Free Day is on September 22nd each year, with events organised in a variety of cities and countries.
The day aims to take the heat off the planet for just one day each year by encouraging people to be less reliant on their cars and instead to try various alternatives. The day also promotes improvement of mass transit, cycling and walking as well as the development of communities where shopping is within walking distance and jobs are closer to home.
The events, which vary by location, give motorists and commuters an idea of their locality with fewer cars.
World Car Free Day helps to showcase how our cities might look, feel and sound like without cars and hopes to influence politicians and city planners prioritise cycling, walking and public transport. In fact, studies have shown that in cities, short trips are quicker by bicycle than by car.
London Car Free Day
London Car Free Day are committed to championing traffic-free city centres and active travel in London as well as in cities around the world. They are dedicated to promoting regular car-free days and celebrating the opportunity to convert redundant road and parking space across the city to more socially and economically productive uses as new public parks, affordable housing and commercial space.
In 2019 activities were held across more than 27km of closed streets in central London including Tower Bridge (closed to all traffic), London Bridge (buses only) and much of the City of London.
Further details can be found on the London Car Free Day website: https://londoncarfreeday.com