Half of all households in eco-towns will have to live without a car and those that have one will find their speed limited to 15mph, according to standards for the wave of new towns unveiled yesterday.

In a series of anti-car measures announced by Hazel Blears, the secretary of state for communities, large parts of the towns of up to 20,000 homes each will be car-free. Homes will instead be built no farther than 400 metres from a bus or tram stop, and car-sharing schemes will replace car ownership.


The measures came in the most detailed guidance yet to what will qualify as an eco-town. Gordon Brown announced plans for 10 such towns last summer in response to the housing shortage. Criteria aimed at achieving community cohesion include a skateboard park in every development, areas set aside for Gypsies and Travellers and "arrival workers" to help the first residents meet their neighbours and find community facilities.