15 minute cities, Peter, or ‘15 minute neighbourhoods’ as they’re also known as, are areas designed for people to have the basic amenities within 15 minutes walk, more or less. These include doctors, schools, green spaces, food shops, bus stops and tube stations. Many places in London are like that already, although over the past decades communities have changed as local shops, sports clubs, and other services moved further away, replaced by large supermarkets and shopping centres.For those who drive to these places it’s maybe no big deal, but for the majority having to travel 30. 40 minutes, an hour or more is certainly not convenient and definitely not supportive of the community or local business.Here in Ealing we are gradually getting back to a more community-based way of life, with plenty of local events and cinemas we can walk to (no more schlepping to Westfield). There are still many shops we’ve lost in West Ealing and Northfield Avenue, but there have been some gains too. There is also no shortage of good schools.This is what ‘15 minute city’ means. It works very well in Paris (again, please let me know where you get your information from Nigel), a city which is known for civil protest when people are given something they don’t want.Over here there is more resistance due to conspiracy theories based around ‘not being allowed to leave your district’. Of course you can travel outside of the 15 minute area. What do you think will happen? This isn’t ’Passport to Pimlico’.
Dominik Klimowski ● 123d