Cars will be banned from the old town of Lindmark, Estoria's capital, every Sunday from next month, after the city council voted to make a six-month trial permanent.
From 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays, only residents' vehicles, delivery vans before 10 am, taxis for people with disabilities and emergency vehicles will be allowed inside the medieval walls. Buses will stop at four gates.
"We were nervous," said Clara Benes, who runs a bakery on the main square. "Now Sunday is our best day. People stay longer when they are not dodging cars."
What the trial showed
- Footfall in the old town on Sundays rose by about a quarter.
- Noise levels in the main square fell by roughly a third.
- Nitrogen dioxide readings on Sundays dropped compared with other days.
- Complaints came mostly from residents about parking for visitors.
Not everyone is happy. Some shopkeepers outside the walls say visitors now park in their streets. The council has promised a park-and-ride service from two car parks on the edge of the city.
The council will review the scheme after a year, and is considering adding Saturday afternoons during the summer tourist season.
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