Here are some of the world’s most famous streets - the Las Vegas Strip, Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing, and Paris' Champs-Élysées - transformed into pedestrian-only plazas.
.jpg)
To find out, we've created sliding 'before' and 'after' images to see how it could look. So - would you swap a frustrating wait in bumper-to-bumper traffic for a casual stroll instead?
Champs-Élysées, Paris
The Champs-Élysées connects two of Paris' most famous landmarks - the Place de la Concorde to the east and the Arc de Triomphe to the west. There are eight lanes of traffic when you include the cycle lanes and it's estimated that 3,000 vehicles use the avenue every single hour. It's the world's most beautiful avenue to some - but could it be even better?
Since 2016, the Champs-Élysées has enjoyed a car-free day once every month - on the first Sunday of the month - giving pedestrians free reign while attempting to reduce pollution levels in the so-called 'City of Light'. There are also plans afoot to transform the boulevard further, with £223 million earmarked to turn the Champs-Élysées into an 'extraordinary garden' by 2030. That scheme could see traffic halved, roads turned into green space, and child-friendly play areas built.
Our image, above, offers a glimpse at how that might look - with the roundabout that encircles the Arc de Triomphe now a glorious, green meadow.
Shibuya Crossing, Toyko
Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing, surrounded by large video screens, is thought to be the world's busiest road intersection. On the most frantic days, it sees a staggering 500,000 pedestrians making the crossing in a 24-hour period, with cars stopping in all directions to allow safe passage when the lights go red every two minutes.
It's a unique approach to urban planning designed to optimise pedestrian flow - but can it go a step further? What if there were no cars at the crossing whatsoever?
Our design imagines a Japanese ornamental garden in the heart of the iconic crossing while neon-lit boardwalk sits where six lanes of traffic running in all directions once sat.
Piccadilly Circus, London
Located in the heart of London's bustling West End, Piccadilly Circus is home to the iconic Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain - as well as countless cars and pedestrians.
It's thought around 100 million people pass through Piccadilly Circus each year, many flocking to see the bright digital displays as they make their way to their famous theatres nearby.
Piccadilly Circus has already been partly pedestrianised, with work taking place to the area's south side in the 1980s, while a £14m project announced in 2010 improved things further. But it's still one of the capital's busiest intersections and remains crowded throughout the night and through the small hours.
Here we take a look at what full pedestrianisation might look like, with the junction between Coventry Street and Shaftesbury Avenue now an oasis of calm as a back-drop to the Memorial Fountain.
Las Vegas Strip, USA
The 'Strip' refers to a four-mile section of the Las Vegas Boulevard, which runs from north to south and sits parallel to the Las Vegas Freeway. Some of the world's most famous casinos and resorts sit either side of a jostling highway with cars sandwiched into multiple lanes.
The roads themselves are bridged by public walkways, long seen as a popular way to stop and grab a picture of the world-famous landmarks. However, steps were taken at the beginning of 2024 to prosecute anyone who loiters in one of the so-called 'Flow Zones' , with fines of $1,000 for those who contribute to overcrowding.
But what if the Clark County Commissioners who passed such legislation were kinder to pedestrians?
Our pic, above, sees tourists taking a scenic wander past the Planet Hollywood casino, a stone's thrown from the Cosmopolitan and the Bellagio resorts, without the blur of cars behind them.
Times Square, New York
Times Square - named after the The New York Times newspaper after it took up residence there in the early 1900s - is another one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas, nestling at the heart of the Broadway Theater District in Midtown Manhattan. It's thought around 460,000 pedestrians pass through Times Square each day - but that number swells to around one million visitors on New Year's Eve when folks gather to watch the famous 'ball drop' countdown.
The picture above sees you looking north east up 7th Avenue, towards Central Park. This stretch of road is already part-pedestrianised, having been completely redesigned via a $55m project that completed in 2017. But what might full pedestrianisation look like, with all traffic lanes removed completely? Our design provides a glimpse.
And, in fact, full and proper pedestrianisation is something New Yorkers are still calling for, as they argue how completely traffic-free streets could cut road accidents even further.
How does pedestrianisation help commerce?
Lots of research has been conducted into areas where pedestrianisation or LTN (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods) schemes were introduced. And there's evidence to suggest that such measures come with economic benefits. In Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent, a £10 million investment to make the area more pedestrian-friendly led to 30% more footfall.
The part pedestrianisation of New York's Times Square in 2009 has led to an 11% increase in visitor activity, according to some studies, helping to boost revenue for shops while cutting crime and reducing the number of vehicular accidents.
Pedestrianisation schemes can also help to support active travel, promoting walking and physical activity, while also helping to strengthen community bonds.
Enjoyed this? Read our latest news
- Renault 5 E-Tech arrives - everything you need to know!
- Select hands out free tickets to kids to watch Reading FC play
- Make Your Car Last Longer - Tips For Maximising Your Car’s Lifespan
- Hot Wheels gift for home-built race car
- Porsche 911 Carrera T: Everything you need to know
Where To Next?
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to our newsletter.
Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of special offers.
Read our latest reviews and find the right model for you.
Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive leasing guides.
Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest car leasing news.
