‘What’s a small thing you’ve seen abroad that you’d like to see implemented here?’ – 23 little changes that would have a huge impact

When we think about altering the UK for the better, we tend to think of the big things, like a change of government or eye-wateringly expensive infrastructure projects (we’re looking at you HS2).

But there are smaller changes that could be more easily implemented that would make all of our lives noticeably better.

They’ve been discussing this on the AskUK subreddit after user shitthrower posed this question and followed up with their own thoughts on the matter…

What’s small thing that you’ve seen abroad you’d like to see implemented here?

I don’t mean something cultural, but some practical thing that could genuinely be implemented here?

In Bogotá, on Sundays they have a thing called ciclovia, where loads of streets are closed to car traffic, kids play out in the streets, people go for leisurely bike rides; it’s great fun. I’d love to see that in the UK.

In Spain, I was driving through a small town, and there was a speed camera linked to a traffic light, if you went over the limit, the lights would go red. Very simple idea, would be great outside schools.

Both fantastic ideas, and they prompted other people to chip in with their own favourite little things they’ve witnessed in other countries, like these…

1.

‘Submerged underground communal waste bins like they use across Spain and the Netherlands. You have one tidy stainless steel pillar on the street corner that drops straight into a massive buried concrete bunker, emptied in thirty seconds by a crane lorry once a week.

Compare that to an ordinary British terraced street. Every single house has three plastic wheelie bins and two food caddies crammed onto a three foot front garden. The minute autumn gales hit fifty miles an hour, the entire pavement becomes an obstacle course of tipped plastic, wet cardboard, and foxes dragging chicken bones across the road.

Instead of burying the rubbish out of sight, our local councils spend twenty years printing laminated leaflets threatening eighty pound fines if your black bin lid is sitting three inches open on collection day.’
–Agreeable-Corgi8654

2.

‘City centre shops and high streets open beyond 5pm.’
–jumpy_finale

3.

‘On public transport, mainly trains, a small light appears under the stations on the map to indicate which one you’re currently at, and which ones are ahead versus behind the train. It helps to quickly orient yourself if you’re unfamiliar, don’t speak the language, and/or are distracted with a book or on your phone.’
–elgrn1

4.

‘In Spain the cinemas cut out half way through the film to allow you to go for a toilet/refreshments break. I’d take that here!’
–Kybosh88

5.

‘Finland has/had a series of kiosks outside certain stores where you could put in your empty plastic bottles, and get a voucher that could be used to get a few quid off your shopping.

And not a token amount either, it ended up being a fair bit sometimes. I’d like something like that over here. For some reason the UK always goes right for a tax or a threat of a fine for every single bloody thing it wants us to do.’
–Sir_Gerald_Nosehairs

6.

‘The quality of in store deli/salad bar type situations I experienced in Estonia was unreal. Proper fresh, good variety and so cheap for what you got. Healthy convenient food.’
–Hot_Recognition_4864

7.

‘SNCF-style phone use rules. Even on the platform a phonecall on speaker can get you fined. On the train you have to go to the vestibule to take a call. The conductor enforces it very politely and firmly. It’s lovely.’
–liseusester

8.

‘In China all the metro stations have toilets on the platform that are free and decently maintained (except for the people smoking there lol). It’s shockingly hard to find a public toilet nowadays.’
–youwon_jane

9.

‘Public drinking water fountains in the streets, common in hot countries and something we’re starting to need here.’
–Normal_Red_Sky

10.

‘”Be quiet” laws on Sunday in Germany. It’s nice that people get a day off in peace.’
–Overall_Gap_5766

11.

‘Buses that you can get on and off quickly and have separate card readers, so the driver isn’t wasting lots of time selling/checking tickets, speeding journeys up.’
–greenfence12

12.

‘Free public transport like in Luxembourg. Once you get the people using the public transport, the demand is there to put more routes on, making it even more convenient and practical.

There is more traffic at rush hour in our little town, than there was in a major European Capital. It was mind blowing. It just made sense to take the busses/trams when they were every 10mins.’
–UnIntelligent-Idea