A footpath somehow invites you to walk. Just like a road tugs on you to travel and follow it to mysterious and beautiful places.
Towns and cities which have good footpaths are special. These footpaths are a gift to the citizens.
There is a wonderful movement all over the world encouraging the use of bicycles. A clean mode of transportation. A great way to exercise and stay fit. Bicycles can carry you long distances and can replace the car, at times. as a means to commute.
A footpath on the other hand is good enough only for a much shorter walk.
But if you combine a footpath with a good public transport system things change. If you can take a ten to twenty minutes walk to the nearest public transport point it becomes convenient for a lot of people.
The health benefits of walking are obvious. So good footpaths clubbed with a good public transport system lead to many benefits.
On a trip to Milan in Italy we found that walking and using the public transport system was a real pleasure.
What was really useful was the accurate display on tram stops, bus stops and of course the metro stations. This display always gave the time for the next transport to arrive.
This along with the technology of Google Maps which suggested the best and alternate routes really made seeing the city a wonderful and an affordable experience.
A town or a city planned with good and safe footpaths. Interconnected with an efficient public transport system can be a real boon both for citizens and visitors.
Also see my posts: Getting around: freedom of a commute. It is much easier to travel and see cities now.
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