Car-free housing estate project – opportunities, possibilities, perspectives

The number of cars in Polish cities increases every year. Despite the coexistence of other means of transport, such as public transport or cycling - the car is still the favorite means of transport for many residents. The significant increase in the number of registered cars, which can be observed consistently since the beginning of the 1990s, has left its mark throughout the city, especially in the human residence zone. Car-free housing estates are an alternative. Residents consciously give up parking space deciding on the city's communication system. The main purpose of the article is to analyse the system of functioning of car-free settlements in Europe and in the world as well as to determine the factors favoring such investments. The complementary goal is to present the possibilities of implementing this type of housing estates in Polish cities, taking into account possible social, planning and spatial barriers.