Danish capital imposes three-day ban on cars

The Danish capital Copenhagen today imposed a three-day test ban on motorised traffic in the city centre to gauge whether a permanent prohibition of cars, trucks and motorcycles should be considered.

“The idea with the three days is to find out what problems a permanent ban would have for residents and the business,” said Winnie Berndtson, Copenhagen’s mayor for environmental affairs.

“We would really like to have the heart of city bustling with people, not cars,” she said.

The plan was part of an annual European-wide campaign, dubbed European Mobility Week, in which cities across the continent temporarily reduce vehicle traffic to lower air pollution by encouraging commuters to use public transportation, bicycles or their feet instead of their cars.