Walk on: More cities globally creating safe streets for pedestrians

Crowds walk below neon signs on Nanjing Road, Shanghai. The street is the main shopping district in the city and one of the world’s busiest shopping districts. Photo: AFP

More and more major global cities are converting roads – or even whole neighbourhoods – to prioritise pedestrians.

Projects are blooming in city centres all over the world, with a common goal of creating streets where people can stroll safely without having to fear encountering cars and buses, let alone breathe in their exhaust fumes. Is it time to reclaim our urban centres?