Perm has joined World Car Free Day

September 22 is the day when World Car Free Day events are held in many countries worldwide. This year saw the Perm Department of the City Roads and Transport take part in World Car Free Day.

On World Car Free Day residents of large cities are encouraged to give up their cars and rely on walking, cycling or public transport.

According to the event's organizers, its aim is to enhance public awareness of environmental issues as well as the traffic congestion problems that result from the increased number of vehicles on the roads.

The trend towards increasing car use can be seen in all large cities around the world, including Perm. Today there are 300,000 cars registered in Perm and the number is continuing to rise. Many European cities have realized that the situation cannot be resolved by widening roads and giving up pedestrian areas or green spaces. As a result, more and more people are choosing to use alternative means of transport, such as bikes, buses, trams or trolleybuses. Even a bus that is only half full carries the same number of passengers as all the cars around a city block.

The Perm transport network is adapted to people’s needs in order to make it more convenient for them to use public transport. New bus stops are being built while older ones are renovated, transport schemes are being developed and new public transport routes added. The roadway overhaul programme also involves the creation of cycling facilities.

The first World Car Free Day was held in Paris in 1998. The results were impressive, with the amount of carbon dioxide in the air being reduced by 15%. In 2001 the event was celebrated in more than a thousand cities in 35 countries worldwide.