People living in and around Canterbury have taken to the streets in protest. They have got together to show their displeasure at the councils proposal to implement what is known as a ’15-minute city’.
A group of protesters took part in a march around the city on Saturday, as they waved placards and signs in the air.
The “15-minute city” is an approach to urban design that aims to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within 15 minutes by foot, bike or public transit.
Canterbury Council have taken the approach one step further to tackle congestion, which would see the city split into five separate zones – with residents banned from driving directly between each.
This comes across as very dystopian, restricting people’s movements
Motorists would be unable to make simple journeys across the city, and could face fines detected by number-plate recognition cameras if they break the authority’s proposed rules.
Critics say that the plans will turn Canterbury into a dystopian city, where people are restricted from moving between neighbourhoods.
There are also concerns from business owners, who fear the new plans will keep away tourists and shoppers. With the potential for fines for anyone driving between urban zones, anyone visiting Canterbury would be at risk of crossing a zone unintentionally. Businesses think it will drive away shoppers to other places where there is less chance of getting fined.
