Pedestrian zones (also known as
auto-free zones and
car-free zones, and as
pedestrian precincts in
British English) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in which some or all automobile traffic may be prohibited. They are instituted by communities who feel that it is desirable to have pedestrian-only areas. Converting a
street or an area to pedestrian-only use is called
pedestrianisation.