The Public Spaces Listserve is an open forum for people of all backgrounds to discuss the pressing (and sometimes not-so-pressing) issues concerning public spaces. Below are some highlights from recent discussions.

On LONDON'S NEW CONGESTION CHARGES

"After just three days of operation (in school holiday-time), the impact has been phenomenal - 25% reduction in traffic levels, congestion totally evaporating, high levels of compliance and payment, clean air, faster buses, no Payment-Centre meltdown - and all this despite a concerted attempt by the press and the political opposition to paint the scheme as inherently unfair and unworkable."

- Paul Holdsworth

On THE EFFECTS OF CAR DEPENDENCE

"The problem with "new urbanism" doesn't really have anything to do with the principles. It's because the system of development, the money in it, etc., is all gamed to encourage new construction. No amount of wonderfully fine subdivisions, new urbanist or not, will change the inexorable flow of using more land, less efficiently, to build another subdivision or a big box store, as long as everything about our economy is geared to the car."

- Richard Layman

"Until we adjust ourselves to relegating the automobile to a more realistic role in our society, we will just continue to evolve the automobile to be the key feature of our environment. As we transfer our dependence to the automobile perhaps the automobile will become no longer dependent on us and wander about without a driver, why not? We do!"

- Tony Hull

On PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS IN PARIS

"The idea that "Local butchers, greengrocers and pharmacies would be given subsidies" is just ever so slightly optimistic. And let me guess, these subsidies will go to shops in the cute touristic neighborhoods: the fringe areas with the poorer communities (and the asylum seekers etc.) - where there is a real and serious shortage of food shops - will probably not be judged to be scenic enough to merit such subsidy. Let's get real: if we want to preserve local services we don't do it by creating third rate imitations of a past that never was. We look at why those services are under threat: national and international trade policies have a great deal to do with that."

- Chris Church

On THE OPPOSITION TO OUTDOOR MARKETS

"It is such a shame that so called heritage societies oppose outdoor markets, probably the oldest form of commerce known and certainly still a vital part of human society in most cultures. Unfortunately, opposition is now, in my experience managing an outdoor flea market around a historic farmers market in Washington, DC (see easternmarket.net) primarily class based bias--often wearing the disguise of proponents of historic restoration."

- Tom Rall

On ROOFTOP GARDENS IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER PROPOSALS

"Bottom line: Yes green roofs, but accessible green roofs that can be simply maintained by horticulture workers or volunteers on weight bearing roofs, all over the city. Rich people's elitist "Blade Runner" type hanging gardens of Babylon can seem to be threatening - but if we maintain ground level horticulture and public spaces with an additional mile or two of greenswards on our roofs, it would not be a bad thing."

- Adam Honigman