Band 5+: In many cities, the design of public spaces is increasingly influenced by the needs of private cars rather than pedestrians. Why has this trend occurred? What are the consequences of prioritizing cars in urban planning? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Several cities are now focusing more on the needs of private cars rather than the pedestrians while designing their public spaces. This is because the authorities want to serve the growing number of private vehicals, as more people are adopting to use cars than to walk. This could lead to a significant decline in the public physical health and safety.

With the help of modern industries, owning a private car has become more easier than ever before; people can now purchase a car in a faction of their salaries. There is also no doubt that the personal vehical provides both the comfort and the flexibility. People do not have to worry about the weather, crowd or schedules. Because of this benefits, nowadays, people prefere to travel in cars than to walk; even for small things such as groceries. The authorities, therefore, want to priortize this growing demand of private cars than pedestrians while designing the public spaces.

Consequently, there are, now, less footpaths and walking areas in the cities. This makes it very challenging for people who still want to walk for their daily chores or for leisure. As a result, there could be a significant decline in citizenss physical health, because for many people walking is the only form of exercise they could perform to maintain their physcial health. This is especially concerning for those who do not have time to go to the gym or play any sport. Not only it could harms people’s health, but it could also pose a serious threat to public safety. When the authorities design these public spaces with private care in mind, they often overlooked the safety measures that should be imposed for the remaining pedestrians. For example, when there is no proper zebra crossing or footpath for people to walk, the people would have no choice but to use the road that are made for cars. This could results in fatel accident or a serious injury.

In conclusion, the growing number of cars on streets forces the authorities to priortise private cars rather than pedestrians. Consequently, this result in a decline in the public’s physical health and an incline in the safety concern.