Irish Examiner view: 15 minutes of fame for some cities

Urban planning

New traffic layouts making extra room for bikes and buses are being rolled out in Cork under the MacCurtain Street Public Transport Improvement Scheme. Picture: Cork City Council

In the future, our urban and metropolitan areas will look and function differently to the towns and cities of today.

There are irresistible reasons for this: Climate change and the need for green transport; the demand for affordable housing; drastic changes in retail habits and supply; and the lockdown, which has convinced many people that it is better to work from home than commute.