Alternate Pedestrian Routes in the Cities

In 2014 the UN World Urbanization Prospects The Revision report has presented that 54% of the world’s population has lived in cities. And accorting to the forecast made in the report in 2050, this rate will be 66%. So the cities of the future will have to face significant demographic and sociological problems because besides moving into the city various ethnic and religious groups according to the characteristic of the western countries the urban population shows an aging trend. And in addition the increasing number of the disabled people whose mobility even in a crowded city must be ensured. Therefore the public spaces will play an even more significant role in the cities life because this is the “space” in every city where regardless of gender, age, religion, qualification, etc. all social classes can be found. This is especially true for the public squares and parks where people can not only meet with each other from the different social groups but they can dialogue with each other as well; actively or passively relaxing, having fun, etc. All of this can significantly contribute so that these groups could get know each other (Thompson, 2002). However the public spaces of the cities including the squares and parks looking at their size are bounded. So for the expansion of the public spaces alternative routes could serve as opportunity. Therefore it’s not accidental, that the National Development and Regional Development Concept 2030 of Hungary counts with the increasing of the alternative routes roles. According to the concept with the variability and rapidity of globalization processes, the transport infrastructure networks – because of their bounded nature – primarly with the alternative routes and with the ensuring of different modes of transport are they able to compete. However there is a question what pedestrians mean under alternative route? Are they using such a route and if yes for what purpose